Days after repeated earthquakes, the Sakurajima Volcano in Japan explodes with a 3-kilometer ash cloud.

As reported by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), a large eruption occurred on July 17 at the Minami-dake summit of the Sakurajima Volcano in Japan.

The eruption was characterized by thick clouds of ash that rose almost 3,300 meters (3.3 kilometers) above the ground.

“As of 11:00 today (18th), the eruption alert level for Miyakejima was lowered to 1,” read the JMA official report.

Sakurajima is one of the many volcanic mountains that dot Japan, a nation situated in the Pacific Ring of Fire.
In its official announcement, the JMA noted that Sakurajima is an active volcano and that, prior to the eruption, the volcanic mountain's surrounding territories had been hit by numerous earthquakes in recent days, all of which originated just beneath the summit crater.
On May 15, 2025, the Sakurajima volcano erupted. According to reports, an ash fall occurred in the vicinity of the incident, affecting portions of the prefectures of Miyazaki, Kumamoto, and Kagoshima.

Despite the fact that the volcanic peak is located quite close to places with a high population density, there were no injuries or major damages during the eruption.
Miyakejima, another volcanic island in the nation, had its eruption alert level upped to 2 on June 17, indicating more stringent regulations surrounding the crater. The JMA mentioned the warning about the frequent earthquakes that were shaking the area.