The weather agency has slashed the volcanic alert level for central Japan’s Mount Ontake to the lowest notch for the first time in about three years follow
The weather agency has slashed the volcanic alert level for central Japan’s Mount Ontake to the lowest notch for the first time in about three years following a September 2014 eruption that left 58 people dead and five missing.
The level 1 alert, designated by the Meteorological Agency on Monday, means the public should keep in mind that the mountain is an active volcano. An entry restriction for areas around the crater will be kept intact, the agency said.
Immediately after the eruption, the alert level for the volcano straddling Nagano and Gifu prefectures was raised from 1 to 3, meaning people should not approach the mountain. It was then lowered to 2 in June 2015, meaning people should not approach the crater.
The agency said the possibility of an eruption has declined because there has been no eruption since October 2014. It also said the judgement was based on its constant monitoring as well as an on-site inspection conducted last month.
