Japan's Sakurajima volcano erupts, citizens evacuated as ‘highest alert’ issued
The agency's surveillance camera captured footage of a plume of smoke or ash coming from the volcano. JMA issued a Level 5 alert, the highest level, ordering everyone to evacuate. Residents in Kagoshima Prefecture and Kagoshima City were cautioned to exercise care, according to the JMA. There were no reports of damage or injuries at the time.
FollowJapan's Sakurajima volcano on the island of Kyushu erupted, triggering evacuations in the area. The volcano erupted about 8:05 p.m. local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) (7:05 a.m. ET). The agency's surveillance camera captured footage of a plume of smoke or ash coming from the volcano. JMA issued a Level 5 alert, the highest level, ordering everyone to evacuate. Residents in Kagoshima Prefecture and Kagoshima City were cautioned to exercise care, according to the JMA. There were no reports of damage or injuries at the time.
According to media reports, Japan's nuclear authorities stated that no anomalies had been discovered at the adjacent Sendai nuclear power plant. Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes, having erupted multiple times in recent decades, according to NASA. It earlier erupted in January, sending a kilometer-high cloud of ash into the sky. The volcano is located in the Kagoshima Prefecture on Japan's southernmost edge.
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The videos, which purport to be of the Sakurajima volcano, show orange flames flashing near the crater and dark ash smoke pouring from the peak high into the night sky. The video has gone viral on social media.
"We will prioritise the lives of the people and do everything we can to examine the situation and respond to any emergency," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki told reporters. He urged inhabitants in the region to pay strict attention to the most recent information from local authorities in order to protect their lives.
According to the agency, the eruption threat has been upgraded to level five, and roughly 120 inhabitants in two communities near the volcano have been urged to abandon their homes.
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The agency issued a warning of falling volcanic rocks within 3 km (1.8 miles) of the crater, as well as the possibility of lava, ash, and scorching gas flowing within 2 km (1.2 miles). Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes, having erupted several times. It was formerly an island, but after an explosion in 1914, it became a peninsula.
