Table 10 Table summarising basaltic lava flow events at Miyakejima Volcano that have threatened inhabited areas since 1950

1962 (3, 4)

A lava flow in the north-eastern sector of the island destroyed a handful of houses and the road that circumnavigates the island. (3 days)

Response not reported.

Physical damage requiring recovery efforts not reported.

1983 (1, 2, 3, 4)

Four lava flows caused forest fires and destruction in two towns, Ako and Usuki. Up to 90% of Ako was destroyed by the fires ignited by a lava flow. A subsequent, smaller flow threatened the rest of Ako. One of the smaller lava flows also reached the village of Usuki and buried it. Lava flows reached the sea in this eruption and added new land to the island. (1 day)

Most of the housing stock in Ako were wooden, so firefighters tried to save structures by spraying them with seawater. They also tried to cool the lava flow in a fashion similar to the 1973 Eldfell eruption with spraying efforts. Reports suggest that the cooling effort commenced at the same time the flow stopped advancing although efforts continued after the flow stopped advancing. The switching station in Ako was destroyed, causing communication networks to fail. About a third of the island was successfully evacuated using 11 buses, resulting in no fatalities.

Other impacts included electricity outages of up to one day with one exception and failure of half of the water network. Overall, recovery in areas that were not inundated were achieved quickly. Ako was abandoned.