Unzen

The 1990-95 eruption of Unzen volcano, on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, produced a lava dome at the summit of Fugen-dake. The rising sun colors the dome, seen here from the NE on February 2, 1995, near the end of the eruption. By this time the dome had grown to a height of 1500 m, about 200 m above the pre-eruption surface. Periodic collapse of the growing lava dome had produced pyroclastic flows that devastated areas on the SE and NE flanks. Thousands of persons living below the dome faced long-term evacuation.

Type/Process: Lava Dome
Volcanic Status: Historical
Image Number: 019-052
Photographer: Tom Pierson (U.S. Geological Survey)
Summit Elevation: 1500 meters
Latitude/Longitude: 32.757 N / 130.294 E
Timeframe: Last known eruption 1964 or later
Region: Japan, Taiwan, and Marianas