Shiveluch volcano erupts following powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast
PTC News Desk: The Shiveluch volcano in Russia has erupted following a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck off the country’s eastern coast, according to reports from CNN citing the Russian news agency TASS. The eruption sent a towering column of ash approximately 8 kilometers into the sky, and there were also reports of lava flow from the volcano. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported thus far.
Shiveluch, one of the most active volcanoes in Russia, is situated about 280 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a coastal city in the Kamchatka Peninsula with a population of roughly 181,000 people. The US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the earthquake’s epicenter was approximately 55 miles from Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, at a depth of around 30 miles.
Despite the intensity of the quake, there were no reports of significant damage. However, authorities are conducting thorough inspections of buildings, with a particular focus on social facilities, to assess any potential structural impacts, as reported by CNN, citing TASS.
The Russian Emergencies Ministry did not issue a tsunami warning in response to the tremor. However, the US Tsunami Warning System did caution that hazardous tsunami waves could potentially affect areas within 300 kilometers (about 186 miles) of the earthquake’s epicenter along Russia’s coastline.
In the immediate aftermath of the quake, residents in the affected region evacuated their homes due to the strong tremors. Reports from TASS indicate that the quake caused furniture to topple and dishes to break. Following the main earthquake, an aftershock with a magnitude of 4.7 was recorded at 07:21 Kamchatka time (22:21 Moscow time) on Saturday, according to the Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Authorities are closely monitoring the situation as the region grapples with the dual impact of the earthquake and the volcanic eruption.
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