Mount Usu in southern Hokkaido could erupt in a day or two as seismic tremors have continued to increase in frequency and strength, experts said Wednesday.
About 8,000 residents of neighboring municipalities and guests at nearby hotels had been evacuated to public facilities by Wednesday evening. A section of an expressway and other roads near the volcano have been closed, and Hokkaido Railway Co. has suspended local trains as well as long-distance trains connecting Tokyo and Sapporo.
"A volcanic eruption could occur within a day or two," a group of volcano experts with the Hokkaido Prefectural Government said, adding that there is a strong likelihood that the eruption will take place within a week.
The experts said the increasing seismic tremors indicate the underground development of a lava dome, adding that the eruption is likely to occur in the northeastern part of the mountain. Volcanic eruptions are often preceded by heightened seismic activity.