Disasters & Accidents

Japan’s Sakurajima volcano erupts in high plume of smoke

Tokyo, Apr 25 (EFE).- The Sakurajima volcano in southwestern Japan erupted on early Sunday, sending a 2.3 km column of smoke and ash into the sky, the weather agency said, without any reports of injuries or material damage.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) issued a safety alert after the volcano on the southernmost main island of Kyushu erupted around 1 am.

The weather agency warned about potential damages due to the volcanic activity, according to the NHK public broadcaster.

The authorities have asked people to remain alert in several towns in the area, with an estimated population of 600, in a 4-km radius of the volcano in Kagoshima prefecture.

However, there were no reports of any damage caused due to the eruption, even as the weather agency warned against ash formation, falling rocks, and other volcanic matter within nearly 2 km from vents.

The JMA maintained the alert level of 3 on a scale of 5, warning against going near the volcano, located about 50 km (more than 30 miles) from the nuclear plant in Sendai.

The agency raised the alert to this level in late 2019, when the volcano erupted, sending a 5.5 km column of smoke above the crater.

The authorities have banned people from entering the area within 2 km of the crater since 2016.

Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan.

It was an island in Nishikie Bay. But a massive eruption in 1914, emitting a large amount of lava that solidified, connected it with the Osumi Peninsula in Kyushu.

Japan lies on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most active seismic zones in the world. It has over 100 active volcanoes on its territory. EFE

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