The Eruption That Shook Japan
On Thursday, Mount Shinmoedake in Kyushu Island suddenly erupted with a huge blast at 2:01pm local time. The towering ash plume rose over 5,000 meters into the sky, making it one of the biggest eruptions in recent years. Just the day before, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake had been recorded near the Tokara island chain, making people fear this might be the start of a mega disaster.
Warnings and Preparations
Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) had been watching closely since June 27, when they raised the alert level to three. They warned residents in Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures to stay inside because of dangerous falling volcanic rocks and possible pyroclastic flows within 3 km (1.8 miles) of the volcano.
At a special meeting before the eruption, scientists reported swelling under the mountain and increased volcanic gas output. While they didn’t find fresh magma, Shimizu Hiroshi, head of the research team, said the possibility of a magma eruption couldn’t be ruled out.
The Prophecy That Went Viral
Before all this happened, a manga artist named Ryo Tatsuki – often compared to the famous Bulgarian prophet Baba Vanga – had predicted a major natural disaster would hit Japan on June 5, 2025 in her book The Future I Saw. When this prediction spread on social media, many people got scared, causing a significant drop in flight bookings to Japan.
Residents have been told to stay inside as experts say they are monitoring the volcano closely
Dangerous Aftermath
The blast covered nearby areas in thick ash, forcing authorities to tell people to wear protective masks and cover water sources. About 900,000 people live around the volcano, and everyone is worried about potential aftershocks.
This isn’t the first time Shinmoedake has caused trouble – its 2011 eruption was even worse, causing evacuations and flight chaos. Interestingly, this volcano is famous in popular culture too – it was the secret volcano lair of the villain Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 1967 James Bond movie You Only Live Twice.
Current Situation
Right now, the alert level remains at Level 3, and volcanologists are keeping watch around the clock. Local governments continue to advise people to avoid the area near the crater, especially hikers and tourists visiting the border region between Kagoshima and Miyazaki.
