Japan’s Sakurajima Volcano Erupts, Dozens of Flights Cancelled
Massive 4,400-Metre Ash Plume Disrupts Air Travel Across Kagoshima
Japan, Nov 17 : Sakurajima volcano in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture erupted early Sunday, shooting a towering plume of ash and smoke nearly 4,400 metres into the sky and forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights.
The eruption began around 12:57 a.m. at the Minamidake crater its first plume above 4,000 metres since October 18 last year, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The volcano continued to erupt throughout the day, with additional blasts recorded at 2:30 a.m. and 8:50 a.m., triggering ashfall alerts across Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki prefectures.
Local media reported that around 30 flights to and from Kagoshima Airport were cancelled due to heavy ash in the air.
Authorities confirmed no injuries or structural damage, though large volcanic rocks reached the fifth station. The JMA reported no pyroclastic flows but kept the alert level at three out of five, restricting access to the volcano. Ash drifted northeast, with further ashfall likely in Kagoshima and Miyazaki.
Sakurajima, one of Japan’s most active volcanoes, has a long history of powerful eruptions. In 2019, it generated ash clouds as high as 5.5 kilometres.
