Sakurajima volcano on Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu, erupted Sunday evening at around 8:05 pm local time, according to the Japanese Meteorological Agency.
Sakurajima is located 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) southwest of Tokyo and is one of the most active volcanos in Japan.
Ash and rocks flew two miles high into the air while glowing lava rose up and spilled down the sides of the mountain.
Ash and rocks also rained down on the nearby city of Kagoshima, 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) away.
The eruption prompted the country to raise the eruption alert to its highest level, Level 5.
At least 120 residents in several towns facing the volcano — including Kagoshima — were advised to evacuate, according to Japan’s NHK public television.
There are between 1,000 to 4,000 Jews living in Japan, most of them in Tokyo and Kobe, and nearly all of whom are foreigners and expatriates. None are living in Kagoshima.
The Jewish Community in Japan is represented by the Jewish Community of Japan (JCJ) – the Japanese affiliate of the World Jewish Congress.
