Japan's Sakurajima Volcano Eruption Just 50 KMs Away From Sendai Nuclear Reactors

One of Japan's most active Volcano, the Sakurajima, violently erupted and fired up fountains of lava on Friday. The volcano was only about 50 kilometers from a nuclear plant in Sendai.

CNBC reported on the same day the volcano, located in the southernmost part of Kyushu, erupted at around 7 p.m., Japan's local time.

Because of the eruption, authorities have forbidden entry into the area expanding up to a 1.2-mile radius around Sakurajima's crater. Despite the "explosive eruption," as described by Japan's Meteorological Agency, there have been no reports of damage or interrupted operations at the Sendai nuclear power station. There have also been no reports of immediate injuries or severe explosion impacts elsewhere.

Kazuhiro Ishihara, a volcanologist from the University of Kyoto, explained that the rocks as well as smokes and ashes were expected to land within the two-kilometer zone from the volcanic crater.

"This was about half the height measured in 2013 in one of the mountain's biggest explosions in recent years," Kazuhiro said. While he added that there might be no severe impact from the blast, the need for constant "monitoring of the volcanic activity" is highly necessary.

A spokesperson for the Sendai nuclear station said the company did not experience signs of interruptions or adverse impacts with their operations during the volcanic eruption. They are reportedly not implementing any measures for operational suspensions nor imposing a possible shutdown period,Tech Times noted Saturday.  

In 2011 the Sendai nuclear station, along with other nuclear plants in the country, was shut down after an earthquake and tsunami hit Japan. The incident set off a meltdown at a nuclear power station in Fukushima. The Sendai plant was able to resume its operations in 2015.  

According to experts, Japan sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has more than 100 active volcanoes.