
This dramatic footage show a Russian volcano awakening for the first time in 250 years.

The snow-covered colossus last erupted in the reign of Catherine the Great but in recent days has spewed out a 60-mile (100km) long ash plume that was visible from space.

Scientists on the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of Russia had not predicted 7,103ft Kambalny volcano suddenly emerging from hibernation.

Dramatic pictures show a Russian volcano awakening for the first time in 250 years. The volcano's 60-mile (100km) long ash plume was seen from space on a Nasa Terra satellite

KAMBALNY VOLCANO The 7,103ft tall (2.2km high) Kambalny volcano is in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of Russia. The snow-topped volcano has five eruptive cones across its surface that have all previously spewed out lava. Kambalny erupted for the first time in 250 years on March 24. No lava flows were sent out by the volcano but a mighty ash plume that was 60 miles (100km) was captured from space bya Nasa satellite. Advertisement

The eruption from Kambalny was seen from space and captured by Nasa's Terra satellite.

The satellite image captured a 60-mile (100km) long ash plume that was spewed out by the active volcano.

Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), said: 'This is the first serious volcanic event at Kambalny in the modern history of scientific observations.

'According to researchers, a strong eruption occurred 600 years ago.

'There is information about its increased activity some 250 years ago.

'We are keeping a close look at the volcano. It is difficult to say how the event will unfold.'

The first blast came on Saturday, delighting staff at the remote Kronotsky Nature Reserve.

The 7,103ft tall (2.2km high) Kambalny volcano is in the Kamchatka peninsula in the far east of Russia. The colossal volcano recently became active and sent red-hot ash 60 miles high (100km) into the air

Snow-topped volcano last erupted and poured out lava during the reign of Catherine the Great in the 1700s. Only 4,500 people currently live within 62 miles (100km) of Kambalny

Vasily Mitrinyuk, a state inspector, said: 'This is one of the brightest events of my life.'

Liana Varavskaya, a technician, said: 'I wasn't afraid, quite the opposite.

'I was happy that I could witness such a marvellous natural phenomenon.'

She said there were no tremors or other warning signals before the eruption.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, which is home to dozens of snow volcanoes, is relatively unexplored by scientists. Monitoring tools such as seismometers and webcams, which are used to collect real-time data, are not installed at the volcanic site

Only 4,500 people currently live within 62 miles (100km) of Kambalny. But Nasa scientists warned that the volcano may have spewed out large amounts of sulphur dioxide (SO2), which is harmful to human lungs

Pyotr Shpilenok, director of the reserve, said: 'We have witnessed a historical event.

'Photographers and documentary-makers have a unique opportunity to take images of Kambalny's eruption for the first time in history.'

Kambalny is the southernmost active volcano of Kamchatka, and study of its lava suggest the last eruption was 248 years ago.

Kambalny is the southernmost active volcano of Kamchatka, a peninsula with more than 300 volcanoes. The volcanic region is in the eastern most part of Russia

The eruption from Kambalny was seen from space and captured by Nasa's Terra satellite. The region is known as Russia's Land of Fire and Ice for its active volcanoes and huge glaciers

Only 4,500 people currently live within 62 miles (100km) of Kambalny.

But Nasa scientists warned that the volcano may have spewed out large amounts of sulphur dioxide (SO2), which is harmful to human lungs.

'The higher SO2 amounts downwind could be due to multiple factors, including variable emissions at the volcano (such as an initial burst), increasing altitude of the plume downwind or decreasing ash content downwind,' Simon Carn, an atmospheric scientist at Michigan Technological University, told the Earth Observatory.

The region is known as Russia's Land of Fire and Ice for its active volcanoes and huge glaciers.

The Kamchatka Peninsula, which is home to 300 volcanoes, is relatively unexplored by scientists.

Scientists studied the remnants of lava that once flowed out the side of the large volcano and suggested the last eruption was 248 years ago

Olga Girina, head of the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT), said: 'This is the first serious volcanic event at Kambalny in the modern history of scientific observations'

Monitoring tools such as seismometers and webcams, which are used to collect real-time data, are not installed at the volcanic site.

This means any subtle clues that an eruption may occur, including increasing steam-and-gas emissions and changes in the volcano's appearance, may have been missed by volcanologists.

The lack of monitoring could explain why scientists did not predict the volcano's latest activity.

Pyotr Shpilenok, director of the reserve, said: 'We have witnessed a historical event. Photographers and documentary-makers have a unique opportunity to take images of Kambalny's eruption for the first time in history'