Video: Volcanic eruption creates 9,000 m high smoke column in Japan

A Japanese Mount Shindake volcano suddenly erupted on May 29, forcing people to evacuate.

Volcanic eruption created 9,000 m high smoke column in Japan

The scene was recorded by the Japan Meteorological Agency as the time when the column was difficult to pick up from the top of Shindake , south of Kuchinoerabu island. The highest dark clouds reached 9,000 m with an earthquake lasting 5 minutes, the agency said.

Japan's top government spokesman, Yoshihide Suga, said no one was injured and the eruption lasted less than 2 hours, causing all 137 residents of the island to evacuate.

Television footage shows that lava flows flow down one side of the mountain, toward the island's ports.

Gray ash covers around breakwaters and discolors seawater.

The leader of the island community, Nobuaki Hayashi told NHK about the eruption: it happened around 10 am on May 29, darkening an entire sky."Black smoke rises quite high. I can't describe how high it is. However, it darkens the whole sky," Nobuaki said.

Other witnesses said there was "a loud explosion " when the volcano erupted.

Last year, the mountain erupted once with an impact range of up to 2 km. This eruption has raised the level of alert to level 5 - the highest level - and made people evacuate.