Mount Kusatsu-Shirane | |
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Viewed from the southeast | |
Highest point | |
Elevation | 2,165 m (7,103 ft) |
Coordinates | 36°38′38″N 138°31′40″E / 36.6438°N 138.5279°E |
Naming | |
Native name | 草津白根山 ( Japanese) |
Geography | |
Geology | |
Mountain type | Stratovolcano |
Last eruption | January 23, 2018 [1] |
Mount Kusatsu-Shirane (草津白根山, Kusatsu Shirane-san) is a 2,165 m (7,103 ft) active stratovolcano in Kusatsu, Gunma, Japan. [2] It is called Kusatsu Shirane to differentiate it from the Mount Nikkō-Shirane on the other side of Gunma Prefecture. The summit of Kusatsu-Shirane volcano, located immediately north of Asama volcano, consists of a series of overlapping pyroclastic cones and three crater lakes. The largest of these is Yu-gama, an acidic emerald green lake with rafts of yellow sulfur sometimes seen floating on its surface. [3] [4]
On January 23, 2018, a minor phreatic eruption of the volcano occurred. [5] One person was killed, and others were injured in an avalanche triggered by the eruption. [6] The next day, new activity forced police to suspend search operations. [7] One month after the eruption, it was announced by prefectural officials that only the summit of the volcano was off limits to the public. [8]