The Sakurajima volcano in Kyushu, Southern Japan erupted with a blast after an unusual ‘silent’ period in the wake of the island’s recent earthquakes. Sakurajima, which is located 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Sendai nuclear plant, resumed activity from April 29, erupting multiple times and spewing ash high into the sky. Russia Today reports: Footage captured by University of Tokyo webcams situated around the volcano show explosions of ash rising more than 3,500 meters above the crater. The blast also caused fast-moving currents of hot gas and rock to slide down the side of the volcano. 鹿児島県：桜島 4月30日09時25分（爆発的噴火） 噴煙：火口上3600m 瀬戸空振計：22.6Pa：弾道を描いて飛散する大きな噴石：5合目。今年42回目 （気象庁：https://t.co/7CnC8fMEfq） pic.twitter.com/3Z6SOlCeG1 — T.HIRANO (@TOHRU_HIRANO) April 30, 2016 The volcano, which normally experiences daily minor eruptions, ceased activity just before a magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck Kyushu on April 17. The earthquake occurred north of Sakurajima, causing three feet (one meter) of lateral movement to the southwest. Japan’s meteorological agency is continuing to issue volcanic ash advisories for Sakurajima. Eruption of Japan’s #Sakurajima volcano from #Himawari true color – 1 May 2016, beginning ~0640 UTC pic.twitter.com/mQiYIXPOuq — Dan Lindsey (@DanLindsey77) May 1, 2016 Sakurajima’s most powerful eruption happened in 1914 with lava flows filling the space between the island and mainland, turning it into [...]