Sakurajima volcano erupts spectacularly

One of Japan’s most active volcanoes, Sakurajima on the southern island of Kyushu, erupted spectacularly Friday evening with a fiery blast that sent lava rolling down its slope.
Japanese television showed an orange burst out of the side of the volcano, near the summit, accompanied by lightning-like flashes. Dark gray smoke billowed into the sky.
The Meteorological Agency banned entry to the area, expanding an existing no-go zone around the crater to a two-kilometer radius, according to public broadcaster NHK. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Kyoto University volcanologist Kazuhiro Ishihara told NHK that rocks spewing out of the crater were expected to fall within a two-kilometer radius of the crater. Smoke and ash rose two kilometers into the air, about half the height measured in 2013 in one of the mountain’s biggest explosions in recent years, he said.
“I don’t think there will be any serious impact from the explosion,” Ishihara said. “But of course we must keep monitoring the volcanic activity.” MDT/AP