Volcano Erupts, 2nd Emerges in Russia’s Far East

An erupting volcano threw ashes and steam miles into the air Wednesday in Russia’s Far East, and scientists said a new volcano is being born just south of the first on the Kamchatka peninsula.

Kamchatka’s most active volcano, Karymsky, began erupting Monday after being quiet since 1982, the Itar-Tass news agency reported.

On Wednesday, the column of ashes over the volcano reached 3.7 miles into the air, and steam and boiling water shot up as high as 1.2 miles, Itar-Tass said.

Stanislav Balesta, head of the regional center monitoring seismic and volcanic activity, told Itar-Tass after visiting the site that a new volcano also appeared to be emerging at the bottom of nearby Lake Karymsky.

Balesta said scientists believe the lake will probably dry out and be replaced by the new volcano, a process that could take years.

Kamchatka is a sparsely populated peninsula 4,200 miles east of Moscow that borders the Bering Sea and is lined by volcanic mountains and dense forests.