MARINA KOLBE, WORLD NEWS: A volcano in Japan is erupting for the second day in a row. And officials are warning mudslides could follow. Mount Usu, on Japan's northern island of Hokkaido, spewed blue and gray smoke and ash 2,700 meters high when it first erupted Friday. CNN's Marina Kamimura has more.</s>MARINA KAMIMURA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Mount Usu's spectacular display of swirling smoke and ash began early in the afternoon. Along with the clouds of smoke, the volcano hurled boulders high into the sky. Seismologists say it all began when magma rising deep within the volcano reached an underwater lake. Jets of steam burst through the volcano's crust, sending a plume of ash nearly 9,000 feet into the air. The Japanese government is being credited with moving quickly to save lives. After earthquakes near the volcano intensified Tuesday, shaking buildings and cracking roads, officials issued three emergency warnings. It's the first time emergency warnings have been issued in Japan before a volcanic eruption. Thousands of self-defense personnel and other emergency workers had been assigned to the area. Although some 10,000 residents were already evacuated, many more were rushed to neighboring towns after the magnitude of this eruption became clear. Authorities worry hot gases, ash or even lava could trigger a rapid snowmelt, which in turn could mean massive mudslides. Residents watch from a safe distance in wonder, taking pictures of Usu's dramatic reawakening after 22 years. In 1978, there were no lava flows. But mudslides killed three and destroyed more than 200 homes. Authorities plan to continue monitoring the volcano. Seismologists say Mount Usu could still unleash even more fierce eruptions. Because most people heeded the urgent government warnings, evacuees arrived at shelters with few possessions, ill prepared for a lengthy stay. Back in the '70s, eruptions continued long enough to keep many away from home for more than a month. Marina Kamimura, CNN, Tokyo.
Japan's Erupting Mount Usu May Pose Danger Of Mudslides