Miyake Island, which was fully evacuated in September due to the volcanic activity of Mount Oyama, may not be safe enough to return to for another three months to a year, a leading expert said Sunday.
Yoshiaki Ida, head of the government's Coordinating Committee for the Prediction of Volcanic Eruptions, made the comments "as a personal opinion" in speaking at a gathering held to encourage the Miyake islanders, who have entered their third month of evacuation, in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
"If we take an optimistic viewpoint," he said, three months to a year may be sufficient to determine that the volcanic activity on the island has subsided enough to ensure the safety of residents, Ida said.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.