Photo: AP Photo.The blast, which Japan's Meteorological Agency said occurred at about 7 p.m. local time, was expected to send rocks flying more than a mile, according to the Associated Press. Dark clouds of smoke rose more than a mile into the sky.
While the scene, broadcast on the local news, was certainly dramatic, one volcanologist told a public broadcaster that Friday's eruption wasn't anything special compared to what they've seen before from Mount Sakurajima, the AP reported. Luckily, no injuries have been reported so far.
The volcano on the island of Kyushu is located just 31 miles from a nuclear power plant, according to The Japan Times. Officials have warned the local population to stay away from the crater. But some residents quoted in local reports didn't seem concerned about the activity.
“I’m not scared because I’m used to it,” Toru Sakamoto, 56, told The Japan Times.
That might not be so surprising considering that Japan is, as the AP notes, home to more than 100 volcanos. Watch the dramatic video of the eruption below:
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