Aug. 3 (UPI) -- An eastern Russian volcano has erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, which may have been related to an 8.8 magnitude earthquake last week, experts said.
The Krasheninnikov Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula emitted a plume of ash 3.7 miles into the sky overnight. The last recorded eruption of the volcano happened in the 15th century, the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team said.
Officials urged residents of the area to move away from the area, and volcano monitoring staff have been removed, though there have been no imminent threats to populated areas. No deaths have been reported.
The Kamchatka Peninsula is located on the "Pacific Ring of Fire," known for the frequency volcanoes and earthquakes that occur there.
Last week's massive earthquake was the latest in a series of seismic events in the region, including another temblor that shook a region 11 times zones away from Moscow on the Pacific peninsula, Russian seismic officials reported. The statement said the eruption occurred far from areas that could directly affect people.
