May 24, 1926 Eruption of Tokachidake

Name: May 24, 1926 Eruption of Tokachidake
Start: 1926-05-24
Location: Tokachidake, Japan

May 24, 1926 · VEI 3 · 144 deaths · 5,080 houses destroyed

Tokachidake in Japan erupted on May 24, 1926 with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3. The eruption killed 144 people.

Where it erupted

Tokachidake, Japan, with its other significant eruptions.

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The eruption

Date: May 24, 1926
Volcano: Tokachidake, stratovolcano
Country: Japan
Volcanic Explosivity Index: 3, moderate to large (eruption column 3 to 15 km)
Killed by: Mudflows and lahars; Tephra (ash, bombs, lapilli, steam blasts)
Location: 43.418° N, 142.686° E

The toll

Deaths: 144
Injuries: 207
Houses destroyed: 5,080

Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Initial explosion destroyed hot spring bath house killing 3. Second explosion 4 hours later produced avalanche from Cone and hot mudflows Which swept down Hurano valley mixed with snowmelt reaching town 20 km W of crater in 26 minutes. 137 killed, 207 or more injured, and 5,080 houses destroyed in Hurano Valley. Finch cites newspaper reports as suggesting 400 lives lost - lava flows, floods and explosions each taking a share - with 144 bodies recovered in 2 days. Witham lists range of 144-207. (reference #9675)

A melted snow lahar occurred, burying Kamifurano and Biei. 144 dead or missing, approximately 209 injured. 372 buildings damaged, 68 livestock killed, 602 birds killed, and mountain forest, farmland, road, bridge, and railroads damaged. (reference #12936)

Other significant eruptions of Tokachidake

Every eruption in 1926 The 1900s Tokachidake Earthquakes near Tokachidake This day in weather history

Sources

Volcanoes and significant eruptions from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. Volcano numbers are the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program’s. NCEI event 2740.