Volcano erupts after powerful earthquake in Russia’s Far East

The eruption of the Shiveluch volcano is seen in Kamchatka Peninsula, about 500km (310 miles) north of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia (Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences video via AP)

One of Russia’s most active volcanoes has erupted, spewing plumes of ash five kilometres (three miles) into the sky over the far eastern Kamchatka Peninsula and briefly triggering a “code red” warning for aircraft.

The Shiveluch volcano began sputtering shortly after a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck off Kamchatka’s east coast early on Sunday, according to volcanologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences.