Mount Shinmoe continues erupting

Mount Shinmoe on Japan's southern Kyushu Island continues to violently erupt.

The volcano in the Kirishima mountain range erupted in the morning and around noon on Thursday. Columns of smoke from the second eruption reached as high as 2,500 meters.

Thursday's third explosion occurred in the evening, with smoke rising up to 2,000 meters.

Aerial observation by the Meteorological Agency on Thursday found little change in the size and temperature of the build up of lava, which has grown to about 600 meters in diameter.

Officials from the agency say volcanic gas continues to build up under lava covering the crater, and warn that eruptions as violent as those on Tuesday could continue.

The officials are warning against approaching within four kilometers of the crater. They are also advising people outside the exclusion zone to be on the alert for flying volcanic rocks and ash, as well as powerful shock waves.

A government committee on the prediction of volcanic eruptions said on Thursday that explosions at Mount Shinmoe are likely to continue for some time.

Experts on the committee say the ongoing volcanic activities are the first full-fledged magmatic eruptions at the volcano in about 300 years, citing the volcano's eruptions in the 1700s that lasted about two years.