At 00:02 today (Jul. 26, Tue.), Sakurajima volcano erupted. The volcanic ash reached a height of around 5,000 m, the highest since the August 2013 eruption. The Japan Meteorological Agency maintains its alert level of three, advising people not to go within two kilometers of the volcano’s summit crater (due to falling cinders and pyroclastic flows). This is the 47th eruption this year; the volcano has been erupting periodically since October of 1955. Sakurajima volcano is within kilometers of downtown Kagoshima, which has a population of 606,000. Those in the vicinity of Sakurajima should wear a mask, use an umbrella and drive slowly (due to reduced visibility); in the worst-affected areas, please avoid going outside. A video of the eruption shows ash and lightning spewing from the mouth of Sakurajima. Source: Japan Meteorological Agency website
