Tokyo [Japan], November 17 (ANI): A volcano on Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, erupted early Sunday morning, sending a plume of ash and smoke up to 4,400 meters into the atmosphere, Kyodo News reported, citing the weather agency.
The eruption continued after the initial blast, prompting authorities to issue an ashfall forecast for parts of Kagoshima, Kumamoto and Miyazaki prefectures. No injuries or damage to buildings have been reported so far.
An explosive eruption occurred around 12:57 am (local time) on Sunday at the Minamidake crater, sending a plume above 4,000 meters for the first time since October 18 last year, according to the local meteorological observatory.
In the latest series of eruptions, large volcanic rocks were hurled as far as the fifth station, though no pyroclastic flows were detected. The alert level remains at three on a five-point scale, restricting access to the mountain.
Sakurajima, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, is connected to the Osumi Peninsula on Kyushu, the country’s southwestern main island. It was once an island, but a 1914 lava flow created a land bridge linking it to the peninsula, according to Kyodo News.
Earlier on August 30, the Japanese government released simulated video footage of a major Mt. Fuji eruption, predicting widespread impacts, including ashfall, to help the public prepare for a potential disaster.
The 10-minute video uses computer graphics to show scenes following an eruption equivalent to the last confirmed blast in 1707. It warns that power systems, sewage networks, roadways and rail lines would likely be affected.
The footage, which illustrates a potential disaster at the 3,776-meter peak — Japan’s tallest — is available on the Cabinet Office website and was released as the country marked “Volcanic Disaster Preparedness Awareness Day” on August 26.
“It is a bit unusual that Mt. Fuji has not erupted for over 300 years,” Toshitsugu Fujii, professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, said in the video. On average, Mt. Fuji erupts once every 30 years, he noted. (ANI)
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