Vladivostok, Aug 6 (UNI) A dam has been destroyed near the Klyuchevskoy Volcano on the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia’s Far East, raising concerns over potential mudflows and transportation disruptions in the region, local authorities said on Wednesday.
Fieldwork conducted from July 30 to Aug. 2 near the Studenaya River revealed that the dam — constructed in 2023 to separate the river’s right and left channels — has collapsed, allowing water to flow freely through both channels, the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences said in its Telegram channel.
Scientists attribute the damage to increased volcanic activity triggered by a powerful earthquake that struck the region on July 30.
Lava from Klyuchevskoy volcano is currently descending toward the Bogdanovich Glacier, causing accelerated ice melt. The resulting surge of meltwater cascades down the slopes, generating large-scale mud and debris flows.
Experts warn that if these flows continue to intensify, they will cause a direct threat to tourists in the Tolbachinsky Valley.
