Russia’s Klyuchevskoy volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula began erupting following a powerful earthquake in the Pacific on Wednesday, according to the country’s geological monitoring agency.
According to reports from the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the volcano emitted a column of ash reaching 3 kilometers above sea level.
"Right now, Klyuchevsky volcano is erupting," it said.
Ash clouds have extended eastward, covering distances of up to 58 kilometers.
In a statement posted on Telegram, the Russian Academy of Sciences' United Geophysical Service said: "A descent of burning hot lava is observed on the western slope. Powerful glow above the volcano, explosions."
Located around 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of the regional capital, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Klyuchevskoy is one of the highest volcanoes in the world.
Klyuchevsky is among the most active volcanoes globally, towering at almost 4,850 meters above sea level. Despite international flight paths avoiding the immediate vicinity, caution is advised for nearby flights.
It has erupted several times in recent years.
Wednesday's 8.8 magnitude quake off Kamchatka damaged buildings and injured several people in the remote Russian region, but no fatalities were reported.
