Sakurajima volcano in southwestern Japan erupts for 2nd day in row

TOKYO, July 25 Kyodo - A volcano on Sakurajima in Kagoshima Prefecture, southwestern Japan, erupted early Monday for the second straight day, with the country's weather agency maintaining a heightened alert. There were no reports of injury or damage from Sunday's eruption, when the Japan Meteorological Agency raised its eruption alert for the volcano to the highest level. Following the eruption around 8:05 p.m. the previous day, the agency raised the alert for the volcano from level 3 to 5 on its 5-point scale, warning people to evacuate. It was the first time that a level 5 alert was issued for the volcano. In the wake of Sunday's eruption, in which volcanic stones fell up to 2.5 kilometers from the volcano, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed his government to swiftly gather information on any damage caused and to set up ways to help local residents and hikers to evacuate. The weather agency urged residents within a 3-km radius of the Minamidake and Showa craters to be aware of falling rocks, and called for strong caution against pyroclastic flows for those within a 2-km radius of the craters. A local hotel operator told Kyodo News by phone that staff were evacuating in line with the eruption alert. Since last Monday, the agency has observed minor crustal movements indicating expansion of the volcano. Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan and is connected to the Osumi Peninsula on Kyushu, the country's southwestern main island. ==Kyodo