Vladivostok , Aug 4 The simultaneous activity of six volcanoes on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula is a highly unusual phenomenon, which scientists are calling a parade of eruptions, reported Russia's state-owned TASS news agency.
“According to our data, the last time such widespread volcanic activity occurred in Kamchatka was in 1737, following a magnitude-9 earthquake," Alexey Ozerov, Director of the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, was quoted by TASS news agency as saying.
Ozerov said the powerful seismic event on July 30 may have reawakened the region's "sleeping giants."
Yury Demyanchuk, head of the volcanology station in the village of Klyuchi, said he had not seen such widespread volcanic activity in his five decades of work in Kamchatka, Xinhua news agency reported.
"On Krasheninnikov Volcano, both summit and central eruptions have begun simultaneously, which may indicate intense internal seismic processes. As for Kambalny Volcano, I last worked on it in 1979. While it has been quiet for decades, it should not be considered extinct," Demyanchuk said.
He noted that the previous eruption of Krasheninnikov likely occurred in the 15th century and is known only from layers of volcanic ash. "Of course, no one was monitoring it in the 1400s, so we can say that today we are witnessing truly unique natural phenomena," he added.
As of Sunday, six volcanoes are showing active signs: Avachinsky, Klyuchevskoy, Bezymianny, Kambalny, Karymsky, and, most recently, Krasheninnikov, which is located in the Kronotsky Nature Reserve.
At Klyuchevskoy Volcano, summit eruptions have intensified, accompanied by strombolian activity, ash emissions, and lava flows. Karymsky Volcano is continuing its summit eruption, while Bezymianny is experiencing a weak extrusive-explosive phase with minor ash emissions.
Seismic activity is being recorded at Kambalny Volcano, raising the risk of an explosive eruption, with possible ash clouds reaching an altitude of up to 6 km.
Authorities are warning residents and visitors to stay away from the active volcanoes.
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