Japan's Shinmoe volcano alert level raised after small eruption

The alert level for Shinmoe, a volcano in Japan's southwestern Kyushu region, has been raised to 3 on a scale 5 after a small-scale eruption on Wednesday, the Japan Meterological Agency said.

The eruption at 5:34 a.m. (2034 GMT Tuesday) was the first in about six years at Shinmoe, which is part of the Mt. Kirishima cluster of volcanoes.

A level 3 alert advises people not to approach the volcano. The top level 5 would order evacuation.