Volcano in southern Japan erupts, sending smoke into the air

Mount Aso, Japans largest active volcano, erupted on Monday, sending plumes of smoke 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) into the air and prompting tourist evacuations, Japans Meteorological Agency said.

One of the most active volcanoes in Japan, but also a popular hiking spot, Mount Aso is 5,222 feet high.

There were only a few people at a parking area near the peak at the time of the eruption, with officials saying they were all evacuated safely.

There are no immediate reports of damage or injury.

An estimated 100 tourists and visitors were in the vicinity of Mount Aso when it erupted, but they were quickly transported away from the area. “The eruption could have pyroclastic flows”, Sadayuki Kitagawa from the country’s meteorological agency says, referring to the fast currents of gas and hot rocks often emitted by active volcanoes.

The volcano became the subject of surveillance after experiencing smaller-scale eruptions in August 2014. At least 18 domestic flights were reportedly cancelled, while some flights to the nearby city of Kumamoto were diverted due to the volcanic ash.

Mount Aso erupts Monday in a live camera image from the Japan Meteorological Agency.

It is located on the so-called Ring of Fire, the horseshoe-shaped, highly volcanic region of the Pacific Ocean basin that is home to 75 percent of the world’s volcanoes and 90 percent of the world’s earthquakes.

An eruption last September at Mt. Ontake spewed dangerous gases and killed several dozen people at the height of the nation’s mountain-trekking season.