Sakurajima Volcano in Japan erupts, dozens of flights cancelled

Sakurajima volcano, located in Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan, erupted early Sunday, sending a massive plume of ash and smoke up to 4,400 metres (2.73 miles) into the sky, cancelling dozens of flights.

The eruption began at around 12:57 am. at the Minamidake crater, marking the first time since October 18 last year that the volcano produced a plume above 4,000 metres, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said.

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The volcano erupted multiple times on Sunday, with additional blasts recorded at 2:30 am. and 8:50 am., prompting ashfall warnings for parts of Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki prefectures, the JMA said.
Local media reported that about 30 flights to and from Kagoshima Airport were canceled due to the ash.

Authorities reported no injuries or structural damage, although large volcanic rocks reached the fifth station.
The JMA confirmed no pyroclastic flows, and the volcano remains at alert level three out of five, restricting access to the mountain. Volcanic ash drifted northeast, with further ashfall expected in Kagoshima and Miyazaki. Sakurajima, located on Kyushu’s southern tip, is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes; in 2019, it produced ash clouds reaching 5.5 km.