Sakurajima Volcano erupts violently just a few miles away from nuclear power plant

A Japanese volcano about 30 miles from a nuclear plant violently erupted last week, shooting ash nearly 2 km into the night sky.

Fountains of lava spewed from the Sakurajima mountain, but there were no immediate report of damage and operations at the power station were not affected.

Following what they termed an "explosive eruption," Japan's Meteorological Agency raised the warning level on the peak to grade three, meaning people should not approach the mountain.

Kazuhiro Ishihara, a professor at Kyoto University, told NHK national television: "It appears that stones have been thrown about 2 km from the crater, but this area is quite far from any communities."

Television footage showed red streams of lava bursting from the side of the volcano, but Ishihara said he thought the impact of the eruption would not be that serious.