Kagoshima - Mount Sakurajima in Kagoshima erupted in spectacular fashion on Sunday, spewing an ash plume up to 5,000 meters into the air, meteorological officials said.

The eruption of the 1,117-meter Sakurajima near Kagoshima city took place around 4:30 p.m., Jiji Press said.

A large amount of volcanic ash fell in the northern and central parts of the city, causing a delay in train services and temporary poor visibility, forcing car drivers to use their headlights.

The eruption also resulted in a small flow of volcanic material up to about one kilometer from the crater, Jiji said.

It was the 500th eruption this year of Sakurajima. The eruption lasted for about 50 minutes.

Source: Agence France-Presse