KIRISHIMA, Japan (Reuters) — Shinmoe volcano erupted, spewing smoke and ash and affecting residents in the Kirishima area in southwestern Japan on Wednesday (October 11).
Video on social media showed thick smoke rising from the volcano. Photographer Naoto Yoshidome had been monitoring the volcano’s activity since Wednesday morning and was documenting the eruption in a live stream.
This is the first time in about six years that Shinmoe volcano erupted. It sits as part of the Mt. Kirishima cluster of volcanos.
The Japan Meteorological Agency raised the volcano alert to 3 on a scale of 5, after the early morning eruption at 5:34 a.m. (2034 GMT Tuesday October 10).