Sakurajima Volcano Erupts Near Nuclear Plant
Japan’s Sakurajima volcano has erupted, sending lava flowing down its slope and spewing ash and stones into the night sky.
Dramatic pictures of the fiery spectacle also show flashes of volcanic lightning - thought to be caused by friction between ash particles and gases.
The Sendai nuclear plant is only 30 miles (50km) away but has not issued any warnings - although Greenpeace has said the impact of ash deposits had been “underestimated”.
The eruption happened at 6.56pm local time (9.56am UK time), according to Japan’s meteorological office.
“It appears that stones have been thrown about 2km from the crater, but this area is quite far from any communities,” said Kazuhiro Ishihara, a professor at Kyoto University.
“I don’t think there will be any serious impact from the explosion,” Mr Ishihara added. “But of course we must keep monitoring the volcanic activity.”
There were no immediate reports of injuries in the area surrounding the 1,117m volcano, where some 4,000 people live.
The volcano, in the southern Kagoshima prefecture, has been showing increased activity since August when locals were told to prepare for a larger than usual eruption and possible evacuation.
An eruption in 1914 was the most powerful in twentieth century Japan, with lava flows connecting the former island volcano to the Kyushu mainland.
Japan has more than 100 active volcanoes and lies on the ‘Ring of Fire’ - a horseshoe-shaped band of fault lines and volcanoes around the edge of the Pacific.
