Recently, there has been frequent seismic activity in the waters near the Tokara Islands, under the jurisdiction of Toshima Village in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. Since June 21st, over 1,500 perceptible earthquakes have been recorded, with the highest magnitude reaching 5.5. The Japan Meteorological Agency has issued a warning urging vigilance for potential strong earthquakes of intensity 6 or above in the area. At the same time, the famous active volcano “Sakurajima Volcano” in Kagoshima Prefecture has once again shown eruptive activity, drawing attention from various sectors.
The Tokara Islands, consisting of 12 islands, 7 of which are inhabited, are located in the southern part of Kagoshima Prefecture. Data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency shows that from 5 am on June 21st until 4 am on Monday, a total of 1,578 earthquakes of intensity 1 or above have occurred in the region. Two earthquakes on July 2nd and 3rd both measured a magnitude of 5.5 on the Richter scale. However, there have been no reports of casualties or property damage in the area so far.
The earthquakes are primarily concentrated in the waters near Akuseki Island and Koba Island of the Tokara Islands. Around 12:12 am on Monday, a weak earthquake with a magnitude of 5 was observed in the Akuseki Island area. The Japan Meteorological Agency stated that the epicenter of this earthquake was near the Tokara Islands offshore, with a depth of approximately 22 kilometers, estimating the earthquake magnitude to be 5.1 on the Richter scale.
Akuseki Island also experienced two strong earthquakes of magnitude 5 on the afternoon of the 6th. As a result, the Japan Meteorological Agency has urged caution, warning of potential earthquakes of around intensity 6 in the near future. The earthquake intensity levels set by the Japan Meteorological Agency range from 0 to 4, 5 weak, 5 strong, 6 weak, 6 strong, and 7.
It is known that the Tokara Islands experienced several hundred seismic activities in 2021 and 2023, but they paled in comparison to the current accumulation of over 1,500 earthquakes.
The ongoing frequent seismic activities have left the residents of Toshima Village in Kagoshima Prefecture distressed. Following the evacuation of 13 people on the 4th, a second group of 46 residents (31 from Akuseki Island, 15 from Koba Island) voluntarily relocated to temporary shelters in Kagoshima City on the 6th.
As reported by local media, there are still 23 residents on Akuseki Island and 41 on Koba Island. Toshima Village will closely monitor their needs and assist with arrangements if they wish to evacuate.
The Kagoshima Local Meteorological Observatory pointed out that the crater of the Minamidake summit of the Sakurajima Volcano erupted at 9:33 am on July 6th, sending dense volcanic smoke to approximately 3,000 meters high instantly. Following that, volcanic ash drifted southeastward with the wind.
At 1:46 pm, the Sakurajima Volcano erupted again and continued until 2:16 pm, with the volcanic smoke reaching up to 1,500 meters high.
In fact, seismic monitoring stations in the area detected crustal changes around 5 am on the 5th, indicating that the body of the Sakurajima Volcano may be in a state of expansion and swelling.
The Sakurajima Volcano became active in mid-May this year, erupting multiple times. The frequency of eruptions decreased since early June, but it erupted massively again yesterday (6th).
Currently, Japanese authorities maintain the alert level of Sakurajima Volcano at “entry restriction” level 3, urging people not to engage in activities within approximately 2 kilometers around the crater, as there may be large volcanic rocks and volcanic debris flows in that area.