Sakurajima Volcano Erupts in Japan: Largest Eruption in Decades Sends Ash Plume Thousands of Feet High

By: Nick Wiltgen

Published: August 18,2013

 

 

 

 

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Kagoshima, Japan

Volcanic smoke billows from Mount Sakurajima in Kagoshima, Japan, Sunday, Aug. 18, 2013. Sunday's eruption marked the 500th eruption this year at the mountain, which is one of Japan's most active volcanoes. (AP Photo/Kagoshima Local Meteorological Observatory)

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Sakurajima, one of Japan's most active volcanoes, experienced one of its most powerful eruptions in decades Sunday, sending an ash plume thousands of feet into the air.
The volcano, located in the far southwestern part of Japan's mainland on the island of Kyushu, began to erupt at 4:31 p.m. local time Sunday (3:31 a.m. EDT U.S. time). The smoke plume eventually reached a height of 5,000 meters (approximately 16,000 feet), according to the Kagoshima Local Meteorological Observatory. Public broadcaster NHK reported it was the volcano's tallest ash plume since records began in 1955.
(MORE: WATCH: Ash Turns Day Into Night)
Visibility in the city of Kagoshima, where the volcano sits, deteriorated quickly as ash spread into populated portions of the city of 600,000 residents, according to the English-language NHK World website. NHK World said a pyroclastic flow, a fast-moving current of gas and rock, was observed along a one-kilometer (0.6-mile) swath on the southeast flank of the mountain.
Video from Japan's FNN television network shows the initial moment of the eruption:
Japanese news media said it was the 500th eruption of 2013 at Sakurajima. There are no early reports of any injuries.
The eruption is the latest in a string of recent natural calamities in Japan. A deadly, record-shattering heat wave has gripped Japan most of this month. Northern Japan suffered deadly landslides earlier this month and has seen additional heavy rainfall and floods in more recent days.
MORE: Active Volcanoes - Sakurajima

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Sakurajima from the ferry terminal. (Kimon Berlin/flickr)