Sakurajima volcano in southwestern Japan erupts

Mt. Sakurajima, a volcano in Kagoshima Prefecture in southwestern Japan, erupted on Friday, the weather agency said.

According to Japan's Meteorological Agency, the eruption occurred at 11:01 a.m. local time.

Ash and smoke was recorded as billowing as high as 3 kilometers into the sky, the weather agency said.

The agency warned that similar eruptions could occur, although there have been no immediate reports of injury or damage as a result of the latest eruption.

The last major eruption occurred at the mountain on July 26 last year and the volcano is under Level 3 (orange alert) by the Japan Meteorological Agency, signifying the volcano is active and should not be approached.

In September 2016, a team of experts from Bristol University and the Sakurajima Volcano Research Centre in Japan concluded after studies that the volcano could have a major eruption within 30 years. Endit