Tokyo, Aug 22 (IANS): Japanese authorities on Saturday lifted an evacuation advisory for residents near a volcano in Kagoshima prefecture.
The officials lifted the advisory for the towns of Arimura and Furusato near Mount Sakurajima whose volcanic activity had increased a week ago, NHK news agency reported.
A panel of seismologists agreed on Friday that the possibility of a major eruption has subsided.
The officials are still calling on residents to stay alert for evacuation.
The Meteorological Agency is maintaining an alert level of 4 on its 5-level scale. The alert was issued on August 15. The agency said that volcanic activity may intensify if new magma enters the ground beneath the mountain.
The number of volcanic tremors had also declined. The agency observed eight tremors on Friday and only one on Saturday morning.
Mount Sakurajima is one of Japan's most active volcanoes and erupts frequently.