A series of volcanic eruptions on Miyakejima, a tiny island 200 kilometers south of Tokyo in the Pacific Ocean, have separated some 360 children evacuated from the island from their parents. Groups of the kids are living and studying in dormitories at a high school in Tokyo.

Mount Oyama on Miyakejima first erupted in late June, covering the 55-square-kilometer island with volcanic ash. After the second biggest eruption on August 29, the island's main village decided to ferry the 140 remaining children of school age to a high school in Tokyo for their safety.

At Akikawa High School in Akiruno City, on the western outskirts of Tokyo, they were joined a few days later by about 220 children who had left the island earlier.

The high school, which is to shut down in March 2001, has only 44 senior students. Two of three dormitories and many classrooms were vacant to accommodate a total of some 360 kids from Miyake, along with a teaching staff of 94.

The Miyake children started a new term on September 4, three days later than usual. Some 140 pupils from three different elementary schools on Miyakejima are having classes together by grade in six study rooms at the dormitories. Three to five kids live together in each dorm room.

Seiji Sato, a sixth grader, said he is glad that he can sleep at night without worrying about earthquakes or volcanic ash. But Seiji put on a sullen face when he talked about the chores the kids have to do in turns. "Mom did all the cleaning and washing for me in Miyake. Here, we have to do it all by ourselves."

To many of them, living together with other kids and away from their parents felt like a summer camp at first. But, as the days went by, some began to feel anxious because they just don't know how long their lives as evacuees will go on. Fifth-grader Mai Kimura is one of them. She moved into the dormitory from a relatives' house in Tokyo, where she took shelter at first. "I feel sad when I think of my family. I don't want anyone to see me sobbing, so I have to find a place where there is no one else," she said. Fifth-grader Hayato Ikeda's spirit is admirable: "I'm tired. I'm sad being apart from my mum and dad, but they told me to listen to what the teachers said and do my best, so I have to keep trying."

One of the teachers said the children voice no complaints and don't say they want to go home. With frustration building inside them, however, some are beginning to feel out of sorts and are eating less. The most important job for the teachers is not to let such changes go unnoticed, he said.

They may be apart from their parents, but there is no need for the kids to feel lonely. A group of teachers residing in Hachioji, near Akiruno, set up an Internet bulletin board (Japanese Only), which was immediately flooded by words of encouragement and messages to cheer them up from all over Japan, as well as offers of volunteer work to help them.

Photos (top): Mount Oyama spews volcanic ash high into the air above Miyakejima. (Jiji);
(Above) The exhausted children arrive at Akikawa High School, their temporary home. (Asahi Shogakusei Shimbun)