Volcano erupts in Japan, showers nearby Kagoshima City with rocks and ash

Mount Sakurajima is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan with more than 600 minor explosions occurring so far this year.

By Michael Walsh / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Thursday, July 26, 2012

ITN

Residents wore masks to avoid breathing in potentially hazardous dust and fumes.

A volcanic eruption spewed flames into the southern Japanese sky and blanketed a nearby city with ash.

Debris filled the air in Kagoshima City, wreaking havoc with transportation, forcing residents to wear facemasks and prompting extensive cleanup efforts.

The Mount Sakurajima volcano is in a state of near-perpetual eruption, with more than 600 minor explosions this year, the BBC reported. But when it started spewing ash Tuesday at 7:15 p.m., residents knew it wasn't a trivial flare-up. The eruption sent 18-inch rocks more than a mile through the air, the Huffington Post reported.

Residents couldn't see more than a few feet in front of themselves, ITN reported.

After the dust settled, people spent hours in the streets with brooms, sweeping away the ash. Many residents wore white masks to avoid breathing in potentially harmful dust and fumes.

Japan's meteorological agency reported that this was the largest eruption since 2009, and that another volcanic eruption of this magnitude is only a matter of time.