Karymsky Volcano

Updated: Aug 3, 2025 18:56 GMT - refresh

Stratovolcano

Kamchatka, 54.05°N / 159.43°E

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Summit height: 1536 m / 5,039 ft

Current status: erupting (4 out of 5)

Last update: 30 Jul 2025 (Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report)

Karymsky is the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone and a perfect symmetrical stratovolcano. Ash eruptions from Karymski can come in the way of aircraft flight routes across the N Pacific. Karymsky, the most active volcano of Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone in one of the world's volcanoes with persistent activity and has been erupting for at least about 500 years.

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Typical eruption style: Doninantly explosive, construction of lava domes, near constant activity.
Karymsky volcano eruptions: 1771, 1830, 1852, 1854, 1908, 1911, 1912, 1915, 1921, 1923, 1925, 1929, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1938, 1940, 1943, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1967, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1996 - ongoing

Latest nearby earthquakes

Date and Time	Mag / Depth	Distance / Location

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Background

Much of the cone is surrounded by lava flows no older than 200 years. Historical eruptions have been vulcanian or vulcanian-strombolian with moderate explosive activity and occasional lava flows from the summit crater.
The cone has been constructed during the past 2000 years within a 5-km-wide caldera that formed about 9,000 year ago within a complex system of overlapping calderas. The caldera cuts the south side of the older Dvor volcano and is located outside the north margin of a large, still older caldera (the mid-Pleistocene Polovinka caldera), which contains the smaller Akademia Nauk and Odnoboky calderas.
Most seismicity preceding Karymsky eruptions originated beneath Akademia Nauk caldera, which is located immediately south of Karymsky volcano.
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Source: GVP, Smithsonian Institution

Karymsky Volcano Photos

Karymsky Volcano glowing at dusk. (Photo: mlyvers)

The summit cone of Karymsky with parts of the Karymsky caldera walls behind. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

On our request, the helicopter pilots agree to fly a round over Karymsky's steep and deep crater. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

The active caldera lake of Akademia Nauk volcano southeast of Karymsky seen from the helicopter. (Photo: Tom Pfeiffer)

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Significant volcanic eruptions: Karymsky volcano

In the past 10,000 years, Karymsky has had at least 54 confirmed volcanic eruptions, out of which 38 are documented by historical records, while the others can be inferred from geological evidence.
There is one uncertain or discredited eruption in 1985 from Karymsky volcano.

The table below lists all known eruptions (date in bold face) of Karymsky volcano since around 1900. Updates on the most recent volcanic activity of Karymsky can be found on the news page of Karymsky volcano.

Date	Note	VEI
2024 Jun 20 -	Historical obs./docs.	?
2020 Apr 1 - 2022 Aug 7	Historical obs./docs.	3
2019 Feb 16 - Sep 24	Historical obs./docs.	2
2017 Jun 4 - 2018 Sep 30	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	3
2018 Apr 28 - Sep 30	Historical obs./docs.	3
2016 Oct 5 - Oct 8	Summit crater Historical obs./docs.	2
2001 Nov 15 - 2016 Apr 1	Summit and upper south flank Historical obs./docs.	3
1996 Jan 2 - 2000 Dec 20 ?	New summit crater SW of 1970-82 crater Historical obs./docs.	3
1996 Jan 2 (eruption 1996 Jan 2 - 2000 Dec 20 ?)	Tsunami recorded Historical obs./docs.	2
1985 May 3 ?	Discredited Eruption
1970 May 11 - 1982 Oct 11	Historical obs./docs.	3
1967 Nov 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	1
1965 May 15 ±5 d. - 1967 Feb 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	3
1960 Apr 16 ±15 d. - 1964 Dec 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	3
1956 Mar 16 ±15 d. - 1957 Feb 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	1
1955 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1953 Jul 2 ±182 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1952 Nov 16 ±15 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1947 Apr	Historical obs./docs.	2
1946 Sep - Oct	Historical obs./docs.	2
1946 Apr	Historical obs./docs.	2
1945 Sep	Historical obs./docs.	2
1943 Feb 1 ±30 d.	Historical obs./docs.	2
1940	Historical obs./docs.	2
1938 Oct	Historical obs./docs.	2
1934 Nov - 1935 Feb	Historical obs./docs.	2
1933 Sep - Oct	Historical obs./docs.	2
1932 Jun	Historical obs./docs.	2
1929	Historical obs./docs.	2
1925 Jul	Historical obs./docs.	2
1923 Feb	Historical obs./docs.	2
1921 Sep	Historical obs./docs.	2
1915	Historical obs./docs.	2
1912 Jan	Historical obs./docs.	2
1911	Historical obs./docs.	2
1908	Historical obs./docs.	2

Remark:

Our list of volcanic eruptions closely follows the database of eruptions of the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Project (GVP), the internationally most recognized data source for volcanic eruptions, but also includes significant eruptive episodes or related volcano events. "Volcanic eruptions" are usually to be understood as sequences of individual eruptive episodes that can follow each other, or even overlap (if several vents are involved), and can last many years, decades or even longer. For example, the current activity of Stromboli volcano is understood as a single eruption that has been ongoing since 1934.

Sources: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Global Significant Volcanic Eruptions Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K | Global Volcanism Project / Smithsonian Institution

Karymsky Volcano FAQ

+When was the last eruption of Karymsky volcano?

The last confirmed eruption of Karymsky occurred in 2024.

+How often does Karymsky volcano erupt?

Since 1771, Karymsky volcano has had at least 38 historically documented eruptions. This means that it erupts on average every 6.7 years.
Many eruptions of Karymsky have lasted more than one year. In total, the volcano has been in eruption during 76 out of 254 years until now. In other words, Karymsky has been active at least one in 3.3 years on average. Note that this value is likely an underestimate, because the known history of eruptions from Karymsky is likely incomplete, especially further back in time.

+How active is Karymsky volcano at present?

Karymsky volcano is extremely active: Since 1900, it has been frequently active, showing eruptive activity during 72 years out of 126 as of now. The last eruption was in 2024 and ended 7 months ago.

+When was the largest eruption of Karymsky volcano?

The largest eruption known from the younger geological history of Karymsky volcano occurred in 6600 BC. It ranks as a "vulcanian" eruption with a magnitude 3 on the VEI (Volcanic Explosivity Index) scale.

Latest satellite images

See also: Sentinel hub | Landsat 8 | NASA FIRMS

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Karymsky Volcano Tours

Kamchatka (Russia)

Kamchatka - Land of Colors

volcano expedition to Kamchatka

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16-19 days - Easy to Moderate
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Karymsky Volcano Maps

Below is a selection of maps showing the location and surroundings of the volcano at various resolutions based on aerial-imagery / terrain maps. Feel free to use them for non-commercial purposes on your blog or website as long as you credit them with a link back to this page (click to copy it).