Mar 07 (NHK) - Mount Shinmoe, a volcano in southwestern Japan, has erupted explosively for the first time in 7 years. Japan's Meteorological Agency is warning people not to go near the mountain.
The first eruption took place around 2:30 PM on Tuesday. Smoke spewed up 2,100 meters from the mountain's crater, and air vibrations from the volcanic activity were observed.
Twenty minutes later, after more explosive eruptions, smoke reached a height of 2,300 meters.
The mountain in the Kirishima range straddles Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures. Minor eruptions had been occurring at the volcano since Thursday.
Shinmoe last erupted explosively in March 2011.
The agency is keeping its alert level at 3 on a scale up to 5. It's warning of flying volcanic rocks within roughly 3 kilometers of the crater and pyroclastic flows, or fast currents of hot ash and rocks, within 2 kilometers.
It's also telling people downwind to exercise caution against volcanic gas and falling ash and small rocks, and saying windows could be shattered by air vibrations.
Source: ANNnewsCH
