Japanese authorities completed the evacuation of the rumbling volcanic island of Miyakejima on Monday, leaving behind just 400 people to maintain essential services and protect homes.
The last batch of 500 evacuees left on a commercial ferry heading 150 kilometers (93 miles) north to Tokyo, said Miyakejima island government spokesman Tadashi Sakuma.
"We completed the evacuation at 2:50 p.m. (0550 GMT)," the government spokesman said.
The authorities began evacuating the island Saturday after a government panel of seismologists warned Mount Oyama could soon spew a fiery flow of debris and ash.
The 813-meter (2,683-foot) volcano has exploded in a series of steam eruptions since returning to life on July 8 after a pause of 17 years, shooting acrid smoke and ash up to 15 kilometers high.
A total of about 3,400 of the 3,800 - strong population have now left for the mainland.
About 400 people -- mostly island police, firefighters and key government workers -- remained to protect homes and maintain essential services, according to officials.
They will sleep in a ferry moored off the island, provided by the Tokyo government.
Six earthquakes had been detected in the first 15 hours of Monday but none was big enough to be felt by humans, said Meteorological Agency official Hiroaki Katayama.
"Since the mountain is covered by cloud, the local observatory cannot see whether it is emitting smoke," the official added -- TOKYO (AFP)
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