By Saadet Gokce
ISTANBUL (AA) - Sakurajima Volcano in southern Japan's Kyushu Island erupted on Thursday.
The smoke from the volcano in Kagoshima province rose above 2,200 meters (7,217 feet) of the crater rim, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
If the current eruption continues, the volcano is expected to spew a large amount of ash into Kagoshima city, it warned.
The agency advised people to stay indoors where heavy ashfall is expected.
The volcano is still at alert level three on a five-level scale, with level five being the most dangerous.
Japan, which lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, has 111 active volcanoes, making it one of the world's most seismically active countries.