Rash Of Tiny Earthquakes Detected

Seismologists detected more than 500 minor earthquakes near a volcano on Japan’s southernmost main island of Kyushu during a 12-hour period that ended Sunday morning.

The largest of the quakes - all within 2-1/2 miles of Mount Hossho - had a preliminary magnitude of 2.9, the Central Meteorological Agency said.

The frequency of the tremors was unusual for the area around the 5,815-foot volcano, which awoke in October from 257 years of dormancy, spewing ash and smoke for several days. It last had erupted in 1738.

Kyushu is about 600 miles southwest of Tokyo.