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1988-89 activity: explosions decrease
Both the number and size of explosions decreased compared to the activity of intense eruptions in 1985-1987.
1987 activity: powerful explosions, peak of activity in November
Strong eruptions such as one on 24 September cause loud bangs and air shocks. Lapilli, as large as 10-20 cm long, falling from the explosion broke several car windshields and damaged houses. A large amount of lapilli fell on the road from WNW to NW of the summit.
Three explosions in November were particularly strong. The first, at 15h36 on 14 November, ejected a large amount of ash to 3.2 km height. Lapilli broke car windshields in the S part of the island. An explosion at 20h56 on 17 November was the largest of 1987. An incandescent lava fountain reached 1 km, the highest since frequent explosions began in 1955. Large numbers of incandescent blocks were ejected for about 2 hours, burning cars parked at the foot of the volcano. More than 70 instances of volcanic lightning were observed in the eruption cloud. Eight car windshields and 23 solar water heaters were cracked by lapilli. A traffic accident, where a truck lost traction and crashed into a house, was attributed to volcanic ash that had fallen on the road. At 11h19 on 28 November an explosion broke eight house windowpanes in Tarumizu city, 10 km SE of the summit. A window in a hotel on the S part of the island was cracked by the air shock.
1986 activity: strong explosions continue
At 16h02 local time on 23 November an explosion ejected a 2.5-m-diameter block onto a one-story concrete building at the foot of Sakurajima volcano, 3 km S of the crater. Six people in the building were injured as the block, estimated to weigh 5 metric tons, broke through the roof and ground floor of the hotel and landed in the basement. Two other large blocks (1-1.5 m diameter) landed near the hotel and created an impact crater and started a grass fire.
A total of 131 explosions were recorded January-June 1986. Lapilli from an explosion on 10, 12 and 24 June broke windshields of 12 cars and damaged roofs of about 30 houses near the volcano. Ash from the explosion on 12 June fell heavily at Kagoshima City.
A TOA Domestic airlines DC9 with 152 passengers and a crew of six flew into the 24 June cloud at 1,200 m altitude, 23 minutes after it was ejected. Cockpit windshields and front surfaces of wings were badly scratched by ejecta. The airliner, en route from Fukuoka, landed safely at Kagoshima. Similar accidents had occured 8 times before at the volcano before.
6 explosions were recorded during December, bringing the 1986 total to 213.
1985 activity: powerful explosions
An strong eruption from the summit crater happened on 24 February, producing an ash plume reaching 4 km height. Lapilli 4-5 cm in diameter fell as far as 5 km SE of the crater, damaging 43 cars at the S foot and in Tarumizu City (5 km SE). Bush fires were started by incandescent tephra. Bombs fell on roads and farms producing large impact craters. A bomb from an explosion on 8 June at 1316 made a 1-m-diameter crater in a road near a residential area. On 13 June, lapilli up to 3 cm in diameter fell on the S foot of Sakurajima, cracking windshields and solar water heaters on rooftops. Ash fell heavily in Kagoshima and closed railway crossings.
In total 474 explosions were recorded in 1985 and cumulative ashfall was 15,908 g/m2, the largest since the summit eruptive activity began in 1955.
1983 activity: Large eruptions in May 1983
The activity was accompanied by thunder and temporary interruption of electric and telephone service. A large amount of ash fell SSE of the volcano; more than 20 car windshields were broken, and the roof of a primary school cracked.
1981 Eruptions: strong explosions in January
Four strong explosions occurred on 18 January, producing short lava fountains of 200 m height.
Lapilli from an explosion on 21 November 1981 broke windshields on cars passing 3 km S of the summit.
1980 activity: largest number of explosions/month in five years in May
After a decrease in frequency in Feb 1980, eruptions intensified in May 1980 (69 explosions) and decreased again to 12 explosions in June.
Lapilli from an eruption in November 1980 broke five car windshields. The air shock from a 28 November 1980 explosion broke two windows in a hotel at the base of the volcano.
Source: Sakurajima Weekly activity reports (GVP)