InsideJapan News Network

Japan's Sakurajima volcano has erupted, sending clouds of debris into the sky.

An eruption has been anticipated following a number of smaller explosions during the weekend, reports the BBC.

It is not believed that the latest eruption has caused any damage to the surrounding area.

The Sakurajima volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in Japan and thousands of minor eruptions are reported every year.

Masato Iguchi, an associate professor at Kyoto University, recently told the Daily Yomiuri: "The Meteorological Agency tends to be cautious about raising alert levels.

"Sometimes eruptions occur immediately after warning signs, so the decision [to raise alert levels] should be made quickly."

One of the volcano's largest eruptions occurred in 1914. The subsequent lava flows completely covered the straits separating Sakurajima from the Osumi Peninsula, meaning the volcanic entity was no longer an island.

The volcano has been erupting almost constantly since 1955.

By Susan Ballion