What is the name and location of the volcanic eruption?
Mount Shinmoedake on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan erupted in the early morning hours of August 28, 2025. Ash plumes rose over 5,500 meters (3.4 miles) above the crater (1)(2).
Mount Shinmoedake is located in the Kirishima mountain range, which spans the border of Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures on Kyushu. The Kirishima mountain range is a prominent volcanic region and includes several active volcanoes.
Which cities or areas are affected by the volcanic eruption?
Several cities most directly affected by the eruption include:
- Kanoya
- Kirishima
- Kobayashi
- Kogen
- Miyakonojo
- Soo
Moderate air quality has been detected in the vicinity of the volcano. Winds may be carrying pollution northeast, towards Honshu Island and other parts of Japan. As of 10:12 AM PT, Osaka and Kobe were the 18th and 20th most polluted major cities in the world respectively.
Widespread moderate air quality across southern Japan on Aug 28, 2025, 8:00 AM PT. Source: IQAir.
What is the current status of the volcanic eruption?
Mount Shinmoedake is an active volcano, and its eruptions are monitored rather than "contained" in the traditional sense.
As of the latest reports, the eruption that began in the early hours of August 28, 2025, appears to have subsided by 14:50 local time (3). However, the volcano remains active, and authorities continue to monitor its activity closely.
Are there any evacuation orders or alerts in place?
Authorities have issued eruption warnings and maintain an alert level of 3 on Japan’s five-level volcanic alert scale, which advises people not to approach the volcano.
Residents and visitors are urged to stay at least 3 kilometers away from the crater due to the risk of large volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows.
While no mandatory evacuations have been ordered, officials advise caution within the 3-kilometer radius and recommend refraining from unnecessary outings and driving in areas expecting heavy ashfall. Local authorities emphasize the importance of quickly removing volcanic ash to prevent sediment disasters, especially if rainfall occurs. No large-scale evacuations or evacuation centers have been reported at this time.
How can I protect myself from volcanic smoke?
Always plan ahead to protect yourself from a volcanic eruption.
- Get a free air quality app for real-time air quality alerts and forecasts.
- Shut doors and windows and set the HVAC to recirculate mode.
- Run a high-performance air purifier to filter volcanic smoke.
- Contribute to your community’s outdoor air quality data.
- Stay indoors; if you do need to go outdoors, wear a KN95/FFP2 mask.
