A series of high profile volcanic eruptions continued Thursday when a blast of smoke, ash and rocks issued forth from Mount Shinmoedake in Japan.
The volcano on the island of Kyushu is perhaps best known as the fictional home of a James Bond villain’s secret lair in the 1967 flick “You Only Live Twice” starring Sean Connery.
Shinmoedake erupted earlier this year for a period in March and April but has been largely quiet since then. My colleague Trevor Nace broke down a little of the underlying geology in the region at the time.
The latest eruption comes as lava flows from the Kilauea and Fernandina volcanoes continue to reshape Hawaii and the Galapagos, respectively. And then of course there was also the recent and deadly eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego Volcano.
These eruptions aren’t necessarily related to each other and they’re certainly not a signal that some global apocalypse is underway. Rather, they are Earth’s normal geological purposes at work that just happen to be garnering lots of attention due to their locales. Hawaii, Japan, the Galapagos and the tourist haven of Antigua near the Fuego Volcano are all closely watched and frequently visited parts of the world, unlike, say, the remote and largely inaccessible Alaskan volcanoes that often erupt without making major headlines.
Meanwhile, Japan’s Meteorological Agency has issued a level three warning for the vicinity of Shinmoedake, which means that no one should approach the volcano due to danger from flying rocks.
