The volcano, located in central Japan, erupted at 11:53 a.m. Saturday. Twitter user @setori_ posted a photo from the volcano crater just moments before the eruption.
一人でのんびり御嶽山(^^)
"Seven people were lightly injured and one person suffered serious injuries as a result of the eruption," a Nagano prefecture fire department spokesperson told Reuters.
Wow, looks like a serious eruption! RT @wataruen: Mt. Ontake erupting in Japan @eruptionsblog RT @volcanic_bot: 御嶽山
The Japanese Meteorological Agency raised the volcano alert level for Mt. Ontake to 3 on a scale of 1 to 5.
JMA issues Level 3 alert for Ontakesan #volcano after eruption today injures ~ 10 hikers. #Japan
Aerial pictures from Japanese state broadcaster NHK showed nearby buildings blasted with volcanic ash.
映像では石が降っていた。 救助に向かってるらしい。 #NHK #御岳 #噴火 Eruption of Ontake san, Japan
Other people in the area posted images of smoke and ash rising over Mt. Ontake.
御嶽山噴火した 外真暗なって火山灰すごくて 山小屋避難しとる 本間に死ぬかと思った
9合目避難小屋か𰢙合目石室山荘小屋まで退避 雲と空と岩の世界が火山灰の死の大地に… #噴火 #御嶽山
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