Kamchatka, Russia: A devastating combination of natural disasters struck Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula on Sunday. A magnitude 7 earthquake, centered about 90 kilometers east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, was followed by a volcanic eruption at the Shiveluch volcano.
The eruption sent a massive ash cloud soaring eight kilometers into the sky and spewed lava, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for coastal areas. While the specific threat of a tsunami has since subsided, the region remains on high alert.
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a coastal city home to approximately 181,000 residents, experienced tremors from the earthquake but has so far reported no major casualties or damages.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is known for its seismic and volcanic activity, being part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
