All times are local (= UTC + 9 hours)
Reports from 2006: March |
Reports from 2008: September | October | November |
15-21 March 2006
A very small eruption occurred at Me-Akan (also called Meakan-dake, which means Meakan Peak) of the Akan volcanic complex on 21 March. Tremor began around 0628, the eruption apparently began around 0637, and an alert was issued by JMA at 0643. The eruption occurred from the volcano's NE flank. Ash was deposited on snow as far as 10 km SE of the volcano. The volcano is in a remote area and no populated areas were threatened. Me-Akan last erupted in 1998.
Sources: Gunma University, Reuters
24 September-30 September 2008
Seismic tremor from the Akan volcanic complex that lasted for four minutes on 29 September prompted JMA to raise the Alert Level from 1 to 2 (using a 1-5 scale). The number of earthquakes had increased since 26 September. A white plume rose less than 100 m above the Me-Akan volcano group. [Correction: The numbered Alert Level system was not applied to Akan. Instead, a near-crater warning was issued.]
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
15 October-21 October 2008
On 17 October, JMA lowered the Alert level for Me-Akan (also called Meakan-dake, which means Meakan Peak) of the Akan volcanic complex from near-crater warning to normal. Seismic tremor was no longer detected after 30 September, and seismicity had remained low after 3 October.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
12 November-18 November 2008
On 17 November, JMA raised the Alert Level for Me-Akan (also known as Meakan-dake, which means Meakan Peak) of the Akan volcanic complex to "near-crater warning" (levels 2 and 3 on a 5-level scale) after the seismic network detected tremor that lasted 171 minutes. On 18 November, the summit was obscured by cloud cover but web camera views showed that the snow-covered S slopes had turned black. During an overflight later that day, JMA scientists noted that the ash covered an area up to 400 m away from Ponmachineshiri crater. Ballistic lithics several tens of centimeters in diameter were deposited around the crater.
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
26 November-2 December 2008
JMA reported an eruption from Me-Akan (also known as Meakan-dake, which means Meakan Peak) of the Akan volcanic complex on 28 November. Ash plumes rose to an altitude of 2 km (6,600 ft) a.s.l. and drifted N, E, and SE. Ash was deposited on the E flank up to 4 km away from the crater. The Alert Level remained at "near-crater warning" (levels 2 and 3 on a 5-level scale).