Top alert: Japan volcano erupts

Dozens of people were ordered to evacuate their homes after a fiery eruption at Mount Sakurajima.

Television footage showed red-hot rocks and dark plumes exploding from Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima, which erupted just after 8pm on Sunday. Picture: AFP

Dozens of people were ordered to evacuate their homes after a fiery volcanic eruption in southern Japan on Sunday as the national weather agency issued its top-level alert for the mountain.

Television footage showed red-hot rocks and dark plumes exploding from Sakurajima volcano in Kagoshima, which erupted just after 8pm. There were no immediate reports of damage.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has instructed the government “to work closely with the local municipality to ensure damage prevention, such as through evacuations”, deputy chief cabinet secretary Yoshihiko Isozaki said.

The seaside city ordered residents to evacuate its Arimura district and part of the Furusato district, which are home to 51 people.

Sakurajima, which frequently spits out smoke and ash, is a tourist attraction.

Sunday’s blast propelled large cinders about 2500m from the crater, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, while the smoke reached around 300m and merged with the clouds.

The agency raised its alert for Sakurajima to level five, the top level, which urges evacuations. Previously it was at level three, which bans entry to the mountain. There were four earlier eruptions between Saturday and Sunday afternoon, with the plume reaching as high as 1200m.

AFP