Japan’s Most Active Volcano Explodes, Hurling Towering Ash Column 2,200 Meters Into Sky

Japan’s Sakurajima volcano erupted explosively on Wednesday, October 28, sending a column of ash 2,200 meters above its crater.

Footage posted on YouTube by the channel ZAIHOCH captures the moment of the blast at 11:58 a.m., as a thick plume of ash surged from the summit and rose high into the sky.

According to the local weather observatory, the explosion came from the Minamidake summit crater, and a fairly large amount of ash drifted south. It was one of several eruptions at the volcano that day, with others recorded at around 10:22 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 12:16 p.m.

Ashfall was forecast across the Sakurajima area of Kagoshima city and as far as the town of Minamiosumi. The volcano’s alert remains at Level 3, barring people from approaching the mountain, and officials warned of large flying rocks and pyroclastic flows within about 2 kilometers of the crater.