Sakurajima volcano has erupted in southern Japan, sending plumes of lava and clouds of ash high into the sky. The column of ash rose to more than 16,000 feet and large boulders fell nearly a mile from the crater. Footage of the eruption showed forks of lightning sparking through the clouds of debris. The Japan Meteorological Agency has warned people living on the lower flanks of the 3,665-foot mountain to be ready to evacuate if the eruptions intensify. The agency also warned that the most powerful eruption of the volcano since August 2020 is likely to leave parts of surrounding cities and prefectures coated in ash. Source: Oman News Agency