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Dozens of people were urged 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 lava and dark plumes of ash exploding from Sakurajima in Kagoshima, which erupted just after 8:00pm.
The volcano frequently spits out smoke and ash, and is a major tourist attraction.
Sunday’s blast propelled large cinders about 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) from the crater, the Japan Meteorological Agency said in a statement.
The agency raised its alert for Sakurajima to level five, the top level, which urges evacuations. Before the eruption it was at level three, which bans entry to the mountain.
“Residential areas of Arimura town and Furusato town within three kilometres of the summit crater... of Sakurajima should be on high alert,” the JMA said.
According to Kagoshima City, there are 77 residents in the two towns.
There were no immediate reports of damage, according to public broadcaster NHK.
