The volcano alert level for Sakurajima (Kagoshima City) was recently raised to 4, which entails evacuation preparations for the first time, but by Aug. 17, the number of volcanically caused earthquakes had fallen off, and the inflation of the volcanic edifice had receded. For safety’s sake, however, Kagoshima City says it will not stop evacuations until the threat level returns to 3. Although it appears as if the volcano has calmed down, some volcanologists say it might be the calm before the storm, since there are cases in which volcanoes have erupted after a period of relative inactivity. A City Hall official said the evacuation period would last one week and could be prolonged depending on the situation. Source: Nishinippon Shimbun 8/18
