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Dense fumes are spewed out from several spots on the slope of Mt. Ontake as the volcano erupts in central Japan Saturday, Sept. 27, 2014. Mt. Ontake erupted Saturday, sending a large plume of ash high into the sky and prompting a warning to climbers and others to avoid the area. Japanese broadcaster NHK, citing local authorities, said there were reports of injuries, but no word on their severity. It also reported that people had been evacuated from a mountain lodge. AP Photo
With thick grey smoke spewing into the sky, a volcano in central Japan erupted Saturday, injuring eight visitors at the site.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that it had upgraded its five-stage volcanic alert level to three and urged people not to approach the mountain, Xinhua reported.
The JMA said that further eruptions may affect nearby residents and warned of large volcanic cinders falling within a four kilometre radius of the crater.
The volcano's last eruption was in 1979 when it expelled over 200,000 tonnes of ash.
It also had a minor eruption in 1991 and it caused multiple volcanic earthquakes in 2007.
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