SHINMOEDAKE ERUPTS IN JAPAN
eruption began at 7:30 AM
Although called a minor eruption, it was the largest eruption since 1959
JANUARY 26-31, 2011
Walter Hays, Global Alliance for Disaster Reduction, University of
North Carolina, USA
JAPAN HAS 104 ACTIVE VOLCANOES
The 1,421-m (4,662-ft) Mount Shinmoedake is a part of the Kirishima volcano complex comprised of 20 active volcanoes
Mount Shinmoedake is located on the border of the
Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures
In the previous four months, Miyazaki prefecture had also suffered from an epidemic of the H5N1 bird flu, and a foot-and-mouth epidemic that is expected to cause ~ $ 2 billion in economic losses for the local livestock industry.
The inflation of the Shinmoedake volcano that eventually culminated in an
eruption had been underway since December 2009
May 10, 2010 to Present: ~6 million m3 (0.006 km3) of
magma in a reservoir at 6 km depth ~10 km WNW from
Shinmoedake and another 1 million m3 (0.001 km3) of
magma at 3 km depth under the Shinmoedake cone itself.
The eruption produced lava fountains, andesitic lava flows, and ash emissions that reached a height of nearly 5 miles (7.5 km)
ERUPTION
VOLCANIC LIGHTNING: SHINMOEDAKE
VOLCANIC LIGHTNING
ERUPTION OF SHINMOEDAKE
ERUPTION OF SHINMOEDAKE
ERUPTION VIEWED FROM TAKAHARU
DOME INSIDE SHINMOEDAKE’S CRATER: JAN 31, 2011
Approximately 13,000 hectares of farm land were damaged by the falling ash deposits.
Flights in the region were canceled and 1,100 people in the vicinity were evacuated to gymnasiums and other
facilities in the town of Takaharu, seven miles east
of Kirishima.
