4月14日から続く熊本地震で、阿蘇山の観光名所「米塚」に亀裂が入った。火口縁を取り囲むように、黒いひび割れが見える。時事ドットコムなどが報じた。
■地震で亀裂が入った米塚
火口から麓に伸びる直線はもともとある草地の切れ目 2016年4月16日午後１時２１分、熊本県南阿蘇村［時事通信ヘリより］
■地震発生前の米塚
米塚は、標高954メートルで高さ80メートル。裾野の直径は約380メートルで、頂上に直径約80メートルの火口跡が残る。噴石が積み重なってできた火砕丘で、約3千年前に形成されたとされる。地質学者の早川由紀夫氏によると、噴火は1700年前までさかのぼるという。
阿蘇の開拓神「健磐龍命」（たけいわたつのみこと）が、収穫した米を積み上げたものが山になったという伝説があり、頂上が少し凹んでいるのは、命が困っている人たちにお米をひとすくい恵まれたためとされる。
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熊本城の被害
JAPAN-QUAKE(01 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(02 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(03 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(04 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(05 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(06 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016. \nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
JAPAN-QUAKE(07 of23)
This picture shows a collapsed stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle after an earthquake in Kumamoto on April 16, 2016.\nA powerful earthquake hit southern Japan early on April 16, authorities said, sending panicked residents out of their homes in a region where nerves were already frayed by a swarm of strong shaking. / AFP / KAZUHIRO NOGI (Photo credit should read KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:KAZUHIRO NOGI via Getty Images)
飯田丸五階櫓（4月15日）(08 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The stone wall of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(09 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The stone wall of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(10 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The general view of Kumamoto Castle damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(11 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The general view of Kumamoto Castle damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(12 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: Walls of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(13 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: Walls of Kumamoto Castle is damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Magnitude-6.4 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan(14 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 14: The stone wall of the Kumamoto Castle is seen partly collapsed on April 14, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(15 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The stone wall of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Kumamoto Castle Damaged By Magnitude 6.4 Earthquake In Japan(16 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 15: The stone wall of Kumamoto Castle is seen damaged by the earthquake on April 15, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. Kumamoto Castle is a major tourism destination and one of the country\'s Important Cultural Properties. As of April 15 morning, at least nine people died in the powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 that struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
TOPSHOT-JAPAN-EARTHQUAKE(17 of23)
TOPSHOT - A man takes a picture of a collapsed stone wall at the Kumamoto castle in the city of Kumamoto, Kumamoto prefecture, on April 15, 2016, after strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit Japan\'s southwestern island of Kyushu the day before.\nThe strong 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck at 9:26 pm (1226 GMT) on April 14 in Kumamoto, central Kyushu killing nine people and collapsing homes, sparking fires and injuring hundreds, officials as rescuers worked through the night to find residents feared trapped in rubble. / AFP / JIJI PRESS / JIJI PRESS / Japan OUT (Photo credit should read JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:JIJI PRESS via Getty Images)
Magnitude-6.4 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan(18 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 14: A part of structure of the Kumamoto Castle is seen collapsed due to the earthquake on April 14, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
Magnitude-6.4 Earthquake Strikes Southern Japan(19 of23)
KUMAMOTO, JAPAN - APRIL 14: A part of structure of the Kumamoto Castle is seen collapsed due to the earthquake on April 14, 2016 in Kumamoto, Japan. A powerful earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.4 struck Kumamoto Prefecture on April 14, 2016. (Photo by Masterpress/Getty Images) (credit:Masterpress via Getty Images)
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