Small volcanic eruption observed on Mt. Aso

Asian Economic News, April 18, 2005

KUMAMOTO, Japan, April 14 Kyodo

A volcanic alert was issued Thursday on Mt. Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture after a small volcanic eruption was observed, a local meteorological observatory said.

The alert prompted a disaster prevention council there to ban entry to within a 1-kilometer radius of the volcano's crater.

A volcanic alert warning the public about the volcano was last issued on Jan. 14 last year.

According to the Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory, tiny amounts of gray-white volcanic ash fell near the No. 1 crater of the 1,506-meter volcano around 10 a.m.

Under its five-point scale of volcanic eruptions, the observatory ranked its latest observation at 2 to 3, which means a small-scale eruption occurred.

The officials said the observatory will monitor the volcano as there is a possibility that volcanic activity could intensify in light of frequent, continued volcanic earthquakes and isolated tremors.

Falling ash was also observed in the afternoon, the observatory said.

Around noon, when the alert was issued, five people were touring near the crater. They were subsequently evacuated from the scene by bus and none was reported injured.