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Volcanic ash plume reaches Japan isles
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Posted on Jun 22 2005
Ash clouds from Anatahan’s erupting volcano reached Japan yesterday.
The U.S. Geological Survey and the Emergency Management Office said the volcano emitted a “moderately dense” cloud of ash and steam that rose to about 10,000 feet, citing satellite imagery from the Air Force Weather Agency. The plume extended about 250 nautical miles west from Anatahan.
The agencies said a thin ash and volcanic smog extended about 850 nautical miles west beyond that. The plume then shifted north and northeast and traveled over Japan’s Volcano Islands.
Tremor levels on Anatahan remained high and similar to the past days’ seismicity. The island experienced long-period earthquakes yesterday.
Last Sunday, the island was shaken by a series of eruptions that sent ash to 50,000 feet in the air. The eruptions matched the intensity of the volcano’s strongest historical eruption on April 6, which also sent ash to 50,000 feet.
Seismicity on Anatahan had been increasing in the past days before Sunday’s 2.6-minute eruptive pulse spewed out ash to high altitudes beginning at about 3:25pm. The volcano had the highest tremor levels Saturday since early May.
The agencies maintained that aircraft should take extra precaution within 10 nautical miles of Anatahan, advising them to pass upwind of the island or beyond 10 nautical miles downwind. They pointed out that conditions could change rapidly, and volcanic activity could suddenly escalate.
