Sakurajima volcano erupts, covers Kagoshima in 'grey rain'

Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima prefecture erupted early on Sunday, spewing ash for over an hour and sending smoke up to 1,300 metres, with the ash mixing with rain to create a rare "grey rain" that covered the city in thick mud, authorities said.

The eruption began with small-scale activity around 5am, followed by a large explosion at 6.52am that continued until 7.55am. Strong easterly winds carried ash westwards towards central Kagoshima.

The ash combined with rain to produce sticky grey mud, coating roads, tram tracks, buildings and parked vehicles. A local blogger said this year's eruption was significantly more intense than in previous years, giving a "doomsday feeling."

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Local authorities urged residents to wear masks and goggles outdoors and advised car owners to wash their vehicles promptly to prevent paint damage.

The Japan Meteorological Agency observed that the volcano's magma chamber is still pushing, causing continued slight swelling of the mountain. Officials warned that such swelling often precedes a larger-scale eruption.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓