Volcano erupts on Kyushu, Japan

The Sakurajima volcano erupted Sunday in Kagoshima on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, news reports said.

The volcano erupted an ash plume up to 5,000 meters into the air, according to the reports. It was the 500th eruption this year of Sakurajima, about 950 kilometers southwest of Tokyo.

A handout picture released by Japan's meteorological agency Monday shows smoke rising from the 1,117-meter Mt. Sakurajima.

Local residents wore masks and raincoats, and used umbrellas to shield themselves from the ash after the eruption, the reports said.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com