Mount Sakurajima volcano in Japan ERUPTS covering nearby cities with ASH.

MOUNT Sakurajima in Japan has erupted, causing ash to rain down over local towns.

Locals have spoken of having difficulty breathing after bright flashes and billowing smoke blasted from the volcano in at least five separate eruptions.

The 1,100 metre tall volcano blew its top at 3.30am local time, causing smoke to rise some 4,000 metres into the air.

Residents in the town of Kagoshima, found on the southern island of Kyushu and around 4km away from the volcano, awoke to find their homes littered with ash.

According to the Kagoshima Local Meteorological Observatory, there were at least five eruptions from the volcano by noon on May 2.

Read more:- http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/799120/Mount-Sakurajima-volcano-ERUPTS-ASH-RAIN