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Shindake volcano (Kuchinoerabu-jima island, Japan): alert level lowered

Thu, 16 Jun 2016, 11:27 | BY: T
Evacuated Kuchinoerabu-jima island seen from Yakushima last summer (image: Peter Majtan)
Evacuated Kuchinoerabu-jima island seen from Yakushima last summer (image: Peter Majtan)
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the official government body in charge of monitoring volcanoes, lowered the alert level for the island, after no more significant activity has occurred at the volcano since 19 June 2015 (i.e. almost one year).
Current level was lowered from the second highest on the scale (4: "prepare for evacuation") to now 3 ("Do not approach the volcano").
The violent eruption of Mount Shindake volcano on 29 May last year triggered the evacuation of the 118 residents of the small island to neighboring Yakushima Island. The evacuation order was lifted in December last year, allowing the villagers to return to their island.
While it cannot be ruled out that small-scale eruptions occur again from the volcano, it is not expected to affect areas more than 2 km away from the crater.

Previous news

Wed, 15 Jun 2016, 06:00

Kuchinoerabujima volcano (Ryukyu Islands, Japan) - Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report for 15 June-21 June 2016 (Continuing Activity)

On 14 June JMA reported that no activity at Kuchinoerabujima had been detected after a small eruption on 19 June 2015. The report noted that volcanic tremor had not been detected, the temperature of thermal areas had declined, sulfur dioxide gas flux was lower than values detected prior to the May-June 2015 eruption, and volcanic earthquake levels were lower than levels detected in August 2014. The Alert Level was lowered to 3 (the highest level on a 1-5 scale) on 14 June, and the public was reminded to stay at least 2 km away from Shindake Crater. ... Read all
Fri, 19 Jun 2015, 11:05

Kuchinoerabu-jima volcano (Japan): new explosion on 18 June

Another eruption occurred from the Shindake crater shortly after noon on 18 June. It was not directly observed due to cloud cover and the island being evacuated, but sent out a clear explosion signal picked up on seismic stations. Read all
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stratovolcanoes 657 m / 2,155 ft
Ryukyu Islands (Japan), 30.44°N / 130.22°E
Current status: restless (2 out of 5) Kuchinoerabu-jima volcano eruptions:
2015, 2014, 1980, 1976, 1974, 1973, 1972, 1968-69, 1966, 1945, 1933-34, 1932 (?), 1931, 1914, 1906-07 (?), 1841, 1840
radiocarbon-dated: 1560 ± 100 years, 1470 ± 50, 1440 ± 50, 1110 ± 75, 1100 ± 100, 970 AD ± 75, 600 AD ± 75, 1140 BC ± 150, 1450 BC ± 75, 3480 BC ± 150, 9520 BC ± 300
Typical eruption style
phreatic explosions