Mount Bandai

Eruption in 1888

Bandai (Japanese磐 梯 山, Bandai- san ) is a group of volcanoes in the communities Inawashiro, Bandai and Kitashiobara in the Fukushima Prefecture Yama district in the north of the Japanese island of Honshu. It lies north of Lake Inawashiro and almost 20 kilometers northeast of the city of Aizu - Wakamatsu. The volcano group consists of several overlapping layer volcanoes, which are composed of andesite.

Outbreak in 1888

The last eruption occurred on July 15, 1888 at the Ko - Bandai, the northernmost volcano of the group. After a series of earthquakes, which lasted a week, there were 15 to 20 phreatic explosions in which approximately 0.15 km ³ tephra was ejected. As a result of eruptions collapsed the north side of the volcano. There was a debris avalanche that up to eleven kilometers transported 1.5 km ³ of rock far to the north, while overwhelmed several villages. The deposits of the debris avalanche dammed waters from whereby several lakes, including the Hibara and the Akimoto Lake, newly emerged. In addition, lahars and pyroclastic surges formed. At the outbreak 461 people died; 70 were injured. Most victims were killed by the debris avalanche. Since the outbreak of the summit of Kobandai of a 1.5 by 2.0 kilometer, open to the north crater is dominated. Three months after the outbreak of Akimoto Lake broke through the deposits of debris avalanche and caused flooding down the valley from.

History

With four older eruptions of Bandai came also to the formation of debris avalanches: The largest debris avalanche moved 10,000 several years ago around 4 km ³ of rock up to 25 miles to the southwest. In the crater created at that time, the O - Bandai forming, now with 1819 meters the highest peak of the group. The Co- Bandai, the starting point of eruption of 1888 was about 50,000 years ago. In the outbreaks of past 25,000 years was not more magma was promoted. Means Tephrochronologie were seven other eruptions are dated, which took place approximately from 2500 to 10,000 years ago. Historical records show more eruptions around the year 806, 1787 and 1808. Often there were phreatic explosions.

The Volcano Group is located in 1950 furnished Bandai- Asahi National Park; in the National Park with an area of ​​around 2000 km ² are also several hot springs. Today the volcano is a popular skiing and hiking area.