91.5 Chapel Hill 88.9 Manteo 90.9 Rocky Mount 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton 94.1 Lumberton 99.9 Southern Pines 89.9 Chadbourn

WATCH: Japanese Volcano Erupts

Updated at 3:35 p.m. ET

Mount Aso — a volcano on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu — has erupted, spewing black smoke and ash more than a mile into the air, the Japanese Meteorological Agency says.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries or damage, but ash fell as far as 2.5 miles from the crater.

Mount Aso, which stands 5,222 feet high, is the country's largest active volcano.

Reuters reports that it also happens to be a popular hiking spot: "There were a handful of people at a parking lot near the peak but they were being evacuated safely, officials said on Monday. They said the eruption had come without warning."

Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Scott Neuman is a reporter and editor, working mainly on breaking news for NPR's digital and radio platforms.
More Stories
  1. Bearing witness, celebrating strength: How poetry has changed lives for NPR's audience
  2. Katie Ledecky tells NPR about her plans for the Paris Olympics — and L.A. in 2028
  3. Hope Hicks, former Trump confidant, testifies against him in New York criminal trial
  4. Siblings can share the darndest quirks — like picking up coins & keys with their toes
  5. How do you help patients who show up in the ER 100 times a year?