Volcano in Japan erupts again

Tokyo (CNN) -- The Mt. Shinmoe volcano in southern Japan erupted again Tuesday morning, with the country's Meteorological Agency calling it the fourth and most powerful eruption in recent days.

About 240 residents were evacuated from the town of Takaharu over the weekend when the volcano resumed its eruptions.

Tuesday's eruption was so powerful that it broke more than 150 windows in structures in nearby Kirishima city, local officials said. A 91-year-old woman in the city suffered minor injuries when she was cut by broken glass.

The eruptions started last Wednesday and at one point ash spewed up to 9,800 feet (3,000 meters) into the air, officials said.

The last Mt. Shinmoe eruption was in July. A large-scale eruption such as the recent ones, however, was last observed about 52 years ago, the meteorological observatory said.