Japan's volcano continues eruption, disrupts flights

A volcano in southern Japan continued erupting Thursday, disrupting transportation services and covering fields in nearby areas with ash.
According to a local observatory, Mt. Aso, which lies on the southern island of Kyushu, spewed clouds of smoke and ash up to 1,000 meters into the air. The eruption forced the cancellation of about 35 domestic flights in the morning to and from Kumamoto Airport, which is located 20 kilometers from the volcano, with the number predicted to rise toward the evening, airlines said.
The regional observatory said the minor volcanic activity may continue, urging residents to clear the areas within 1-kilometer-radius of the volcano's crater.
Mt. Aso began erupting on Tuesday for the first time in 19 years. In August, the observatory raised the volcanic alert from level-1 to level-2 on its five-point scale, which means areas within a 1-kilometer-radius from any craters should be off limits.
The eruption comes two months after Mt. Ontake in central Japan killed at least 57 hikers in the country's worst postwar volcanic disaster.