MIYAZAKI (Kyodo) The city of Miyakonojo in Miyazaki Prefecture urged some elderly residents Sunday to prepare for evacuation due to fears that rain could trigger mudslides of accumulated ash from the nearby Shinmoe Peak.
The move came after the local meteorological observatory issued a forecast of hourly rainfall of up to 5 millimeters through Monday morning.
The municipal government took the same action on Thursday.
The volcano on the border of Miyazaki and Kagoshima prefectures has repeatedly erupted since late January.