A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale rattled the far eastern coast of Russia near a major naval base early Sunday. The quake, which occurred 18 miles below the surface, had its epicenter approximately 63 miles east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Despite the tremors, there have been no reports of damage or injuries so far.

In a startling sequence of events, the earthquake seems to have awoken one of Russia's most active volcanoes, Shiveluch, located on the Kamchatka Peninsula. Shortly after the seismic activity, the volcano began spewing ash into the sky, creating plumes that reached a height of 5 kilometers (3 miles). The eruption even triggered a "code red" warning for aircraft, briefly putting all flights in the area on alert.

Volcanologists from the Russian Academy of Sciences have released a video showcasing the ash cloud covering Shiveluch, extending over 490 kilometers (304 miles) to the east and southeast of the volcano. Another volcano, Ebeko, located on the Kuril Islands, also experienced eruptions, propelling ash clouds 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) high. It is unclear whether the earthquake directly triggered these volcanic activities.

Despite the fears of disruption, no commercial flights were reported to be affected, and there was no damage to aviation infrastructure, according to the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team. However, the situation remains unpredictable as scientists have warned of a possible second earthquake with a magnitude approaching 9.0 in southeastern Kamchatka. They suggest that this second quake could occur within the next 24 hours.

Sunday's earthquake, with its epicenter 108 kilometers (67 miles) southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, shook the city and caused some of the strongest tremors in recent memory, as reported by residents. Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a port city with a population of over 181,000, is located across a bay from an important Russian submarine base. However, there have been no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.

This event brings back memories of a devastating magnitude 9.0 earthquake that hit Kamchatka on November 4, 1952. While that earthquake caused considerable damage, it miraculously resulted in no reported deaths, but triggered enormous 9.1-meter (30-foot) waves in Hawaii.

As eastern Russia grapples with these seismic activities, authorities are closely monitoring the situation and ensuring the safety of the affected areas.