Japan’s Mount Shinmoe volcano erupts – the second time in a week

A volcano on the southwestern main island of Kyushu that erupted earlier this week for the first time in six years erupted again on Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Mount Shinmoe, straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, spewed ash around 2,300 metres above its crater soon after an eruption in the morning. There were no immediate reports of injury or property damage.

The agency issued a warning for flying rocks and pyroclastic flows covering areas within 2km of the crater of the 1,421m-high volcano.

The weather agency had said on Friday that it was likely the volcano had ceased erupting.

Since the volcano began erupting on Wednesday, ash falls have occurred in the two prefectures, while the agency has also said ash could fall in neighbouring Kumamoto Prefecture.