Evacuations were ordered Friday after a volcano erupted on a small island in the Japanese island chain. Mount Shindake erupted at 9:57 a.m. Friday, local time, and caused a 4.0-magnitude earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey. About 140 people living on the island were ordered to evacuate, the Japanese government said. The Japanese Meteorological Agency raised its volcano level to 5, its highest level, as a result of the eruption. Pyroclastic flows from the volcano reached the shore, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported.
