TOKYO — A volcano erupted in spectacular fashion on a small island in southern Japan on Friday, spewing out rocks and sending black clouds of ash 5.6 miles into the sky. Authorities told people on the island to evacuate.
One person was reported to have suffered minor burns from falling debris after Mt. Shindake erupted, sending dense flows of rock and hot gases seaward, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported. Shindake also erupted last August for the first time since 1980.
The injured man, another person who was feeling unwell and a third person were airlifted to nearby Yakushima Island, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.
Another 133 people were evacuated from Kuchinoerabu Island on a coast guard vessel, a ferry and fishing boats.
Kuchinoerabu is 50 miles southwest of Japan’s main southern island of Kyushu, a heavily forested, mountainous island bordered mostly by rocky cliffs. It is a national park supported mainly by tourism and fishing.
