Japan raises volcanic alert at Mount Aso due to increased activity
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued an urgent warning after detecting a significant increase in seismic activity at Mount Aso, located on the island of Kyushu. Given this situation, authorities have decided to raise the alert level to ensure the safety of citizens and visitors in the surrounding areas.
Restrictions and alert level
The official body has set the volcanic alert at level three, on a maximum scale of five. This measure implies an immediate restriction of access to the mountain due to the imminent danger posed by the possible expulsion of volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows. The exclusion zone covers a radius of two kilometers around the crater.
Determining factors
- The increase in tremors began to be recorded since the afternoon of last Wednesday.
- Field studies have confirmed a greater release of volcanic gases.
- The JMA warns about the real possibility of an eruption in the short term.
Given this scenario, the Executive branch has launched an office specialized in managing information regarding the activity of Mount Aso. The main objective is to effectively coordinate actions among the various government agencies to safeguard the population in Kumamoto Prefecture, where this approximately 1,600-meter-high volcano is located.
Japan is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region characterized by its high seismic and volcanic activity. Currently, the country monitors nearly 110 volcanoes considered active under JMA standards.
According to the agency’s technical criteria, any volcano that has recorded eruptions in the last 10,000 years or currently exhibits fumarole emissions is classified as active, which keeps the authorities in constant vigilance over the geological state of the archipelago.
