Volcano eruption in Russia's Far East lures 'daredevil' tourists

THE eruption of a volcano on a Russian peninsula has attracted thrill-seeking tourists risking their lives for picturesque photos, prompting concerns in recent days from local emergency responders.

The Klyuchevskaya Sopka on Kamchatka, a volcanic peninsula in Russia's Far East, is the tallest volcano in Eurasia at 4,750 metres (15,580 feet) and one of the largest active volcanoes in the world.

It erupted last month on its northwestern slope, seeping lava and ejecting volcanic bombs.

In recent days, streams of curious tourists have ventured up the volcano slope to take selfies at the edge of the crater and against the backdrop of the splattering lava, even grilling sausages in it.

By Monday, the intensity of the eruption had "dropped significantly", the Kamchatka Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) said in a statement.

But emergency responders have nonetheless warned the adventurous tourists after their selfies spread widely across social networks.

"This is dangerous. These guys are daredevils and they were lucky that nobody was hit on the head," KVERT chief Olga Girina was cited by the RIA Novosti news agency as saying last week.