JMA reported that 24 explosions at Sakura-jima's Showa Crater were detected during 12-19 August and ejected tephra as far as 1.8 km. Incandescence from the crater was observed on 14 August. A very small eruption from Minami-dake Crater occurred on 16 August, producing an ash plume that rose 200 m.

An explosion from Showa Crater on 18 August generated a large ash plume that rose 5 km above the crater and drifted NW. A small pyroclastic flow traveled SE. According to news sources, the 50-minute-long eruption produced ashfall in the central and northern parts of Kagoshima (10 km W), causing train delays and poor visibility for car drivers. The event was the 500th explosion this year.

Geological Summary. The Aira caldera in the northern half of Kagoshima Bay contains the post-caldera Sakurajima volcano, one of Japan's most active. Eruption of the voluminous Ito pyroclastic flow accompanied formation of the 17 x 23 km caldera about 22,000 years ago. The smaller Wakamiko caldera was formed during the early Holocene in the NE corner of the caldera, along with several post-caldera cones. The construction of Sakurajima began about 13,000 years ago on the southern rim and built an island that was joined to the Osumi Peninsula during the major explosive and effusive eruption of 1914. Activity at the Kitadake summit cone ended about 4,850 years ago, after which eruptions took place at Minamidake. Frequent eruptions since the 8th century have deposited ash on the city of Kagoshima, located across Kagoshima Bay only 8 km from the summit. The largest recorded eruption took place during 1471-76.

Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Agence France-Presse (AFP)