Huge ash columns erupted from Eurasia’s tallest active volcano on Wednesday. The eruption forced authorities to close several schools in two towns on Russia’s sparsely populated Kamchatka Peninsula.
Sunday’s eruptions from the Klyuchevskaya volcano sent ash as high as eight miles above sea level on Wednesday, officials say.
The volcano’s first recorded eruption took place in 1697. Ever since, Klyuchevskaya has remained active. It’s been even more active in recent years. It last released lava in June. The 15,000-foot mountain is a stratovolcano. Stratovolcanoes are cone-shaped with fairly steep sides. Shield volcanoes, on the other hand, are dome-shaped and lower to the ground.
So far, Russian officials have reported no injuries from the eruption. Still, they ordered schools in Ust-Kamchatsk and Klyuchy closed as a precaution. Each town has a population of about 5,000 people. Klyuchy is located about 20 miles from the volcano. Ust-Kamchatsk is about 30 miles away.
The Kamchatka Peninsula extends into the Pacific Ocean about 4,100 miles east of Moscow. The mountainous area lies at the northeastern boundary of the Asian continent and is part of Siberia. Kamchatka is noted for rivers, lakes, geysers, and geothermal springs—and an array of active and dormant volcanoes.
Scientists say there are between 28 and 36 active volcanoes on Kamchatka. The peninsula is also part of the so-called “Ring of Fire,” a line of hundreds of volcanoes encircling much of the Pacific Ocean. About 90% of the world’s earthquakes happen within the ring. And in God’s providence, He oversees each one.
And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. — Genesis 1:9-10
