(MENAFN) The Sakurajima volcano, situated in Kagoshima Prefecture in Japan’s southwest, erupted in the early hours of Sunday, propelling ash and smoke up to 4,400 meters (14,436 feet) into the air, according to a news agency.

The volcanic activity persisted following the initial outburst, prompting the regional weather bureau to release an ashfall projection for the Kagoshima, Kumamoto, and Miyazaki prefectures.

Authorities confirmed that no injuries or structural harm have been recorded.

The explosion occurred at approximately 12:57 a.m. (1557 GMT Saturday) at the Minamidake crater, generating a plume that exceeded 4,000 meters for the first time since “Oct. 18 last year,” as reported by the local meteorological monitoring center.

Large volcanic boulders were expelled as far as the fifth station, though no pyroclastic flows were detected.

The alert status remains at three on a five-tier scale, restricting entry near the volcano.

Sakurajima, among Japan’s most active volcanic formations, is connected to the Osumi Peninsula on Kyushu, the country’s southwestern main island. It was once a standalone island until a 1914 lava flow created a natural land bridge linking it to the peninsula.

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