Volcano eruption forces residents of tiny Japanese island to evacuate

A volcano erupted without warning in Japan on Friday morning, causing the government to order all 140 residents of the Kuchinoerabu island to evacuate.

Authorities say that so far, no injuries or damage have been reported, although several people are not accounted for and others are on boats headed to an emergency shelter. Following Mount Shindake's eruption, Japan's meteorological agency raised its alert level to five, the highest on its scale, The Guardian reports.

Officials say that pyroclastic flows, or currents of rock fragments and hot gases from the volcano, have reached the north-west shore of the island. Witnesses said they heard what sounded like an explosion and felt the earth shake, then saw black smoke rising into the air. Catherine Garcia

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