Japan: Volcanic eruption causes a series of flight cancellations

On November 27, Japan Airlines (JAL) had to cancel or divert many flights to avoid possible danger from ash clouds from the eruption of Mount Aso in southern Japan.

Smoke rises from Mount Aso. (Source: AFP)

JAL and All Nippon Airways warned that they would have to cancel or reroute some flights involving Kumamoto Airport due to the ash plume reaching up to 800 meters high from the eruption of Mount Aso. Specifically, the two airlines had to cancel 8 departures from Kumamoto, 4 arrivals and one flight had to change its landing point to another airport nearby.

JAL said more flights could be affected if the Aso volcano eruption continues to worsen in the coming days. Meteorologists warned that rocks and ash could fall within a 1km radius of the volcano.

Mount Aso on the main island of Kyushu suddenly erupted again on November 26. This is the volcano's first eruption in 19 years and comes just two months after Mount Ontake in central Nagano province erupted, killing 60 people last September./.

According to VNA