Sarychev Peak in the early stages of eruption in the Kuril Islands (Russia, June 12th, 2009). Photo taken from the International Space Station.
Sarychev Peak is located on the north-western end of Matua, an uninhabited volcanic island near the centre of the Kuril Islands chain north-east of Japan. The eruption sent a plume of brown-coloured ash and white steam rising into the atmosphere, and the plume was so intense that it cast a large shadow on the island.
Sarychev is one of the most active volcanoes in the Kuril Islands. Before June 2009, its most explosive eruption was in 1989; its eruptions in 1986, 1976, 1954 and 1946 also produced lava flows.















