Japan is located in the Pacific Fire Circle and has over 110 active volcanoes. But, this volcano that is activated now, it was not been active for 250 years, and authorities have banned access to the area around the mountain.
The Japanese meteorological agency said it was the first eruption of this volcano since 1768, and that the smoke and ash emitted from the crater.
The volcano is part of the mountain chain Kirishima on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. The meteorological agency has expanded the banned zone, which was only around the volcanic crater so far, and now the banned zone is considered the whole mountain.
According to official reports, the explosions were briefly closed today, but the citizens of nearby towns were however alerted to the possible falling of volcanic stones and ash.
The warning level for Mount Io was raised from 2 to 3 on Japan’s 5-level scale, with the Japan’s Meteorological Agency warning volcanic rocks could be hurled as far as 2km (1.2 miles).
In March this year, another volcano near this one was activated after a seven-year break.
In September 2014, 63 people were killed on Mount Ontake, the worst volcanic death toll in Japan for nearly 90 years
