Third observation tunnel on Sakurajima completed (29 August 2016)

Published on

2016/10/05

On 29 August, the Sakurajima Volcano Research Center (SVRC) of the Kyoto University Disaster Prevention Research Institute (DPRI) hosted a ceremony to celebrate the completion of a new observation tunnel on the volcanic island.

The new tunnel, located in the town of Komen, joins two others already in operation on Sakurajima -- Haruta (completed in 1985) and Arimura (completed in 2006 by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transport Management) -- both of which are used by SVRC for ground-deformation monitoring. By integrating and analyzing data obtained from the three sites, SVRC hopes to enhance its capabilities to monitor magma movements and predict eruptions. Sakurajima -- now the world's only volcano with more than two observation tunnels on its slopes -- is predicted to erupt in the near future on a massive scale, indicating the need for urgent disaster planning.

The ceremony took place at Rainbow Sakurajima, a kokumin shukusha (government-run hotel) located in the town of Sakurajima Yokoyama, with around 90 people attending.

The event opened with remarks by DPRI Director Kaoru Takara and Mr Takayoshi Seiki, Kyoto University's executive vice-president for general affairs and personnel. These were followed by congratulatory addresses by three guests -- Mr Okiharu Yasuoka, a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Hiroyuki Mori, Mayor of Kagoshima, and Mr Norifumi Ushio, director of the Scientific Research Institutes Division, Research Promotion Bureau, the science ministry MEXT -- and then by the presentation of a letter of appreciation to the company that had constructed the tunnel. Finally, SVRC Director Masato Iguchi reported on the island's recent volcanic activities and gave an overview of the new facility, highlighting its significance for research and disaster preparedness.

After the ceremony, attendees traveled by bus half-way around the island to Komen, where they toured the tunnel with SVRC guides, learning about watertube tiltmeters, extensometers, and various other instruments installed for volcanic monitoring purposes.