Eruption warnings raised for volcanoes in Japan, Ecuador

TOKYO, Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Residents in Japan and Ecuador have been alerted to possible evacuations as volcanoes in both areas become increasingly active.

Officials in both countries have raised alerts as the volcanoes, Sakurajima in Japan and Cotopaxi in Ecuador, have begun belching smoke. The volcano in Japan is some 31 miles away from a nuclear reactor that was recently restarted.

Saturday, the Japan Meteorological Agency increased the alert level for the volcano Sakurajima to 4 from 3, which means people within a two-mile radius of the volcano should be prepared to leave. Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes and located about 30 miles from a newly restarted nuclear plant.

On Aug. 11, Kyushu Electric Power Co. began bringing online the No. 1 reactor at its Sendai power station, the first nuclear facility to restart in Japan under new safety rules implemented following the 2011 Fukushima meltdown that happened as a result of a tsunami.

Across the ocean, Cotopaxi, located about 28 miles from the Ecuadorean capital of Quito, spewed a three-mile-high column of ash, prompting authorities to raise the warning level to yellow, indicating residents should keep alert. The level warnings are yellow, orange and red.