TOKYO, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- A volcano on Sakurajima in Kyushu area, southwestern Japan, erupted for a second straight day early on Thursday, the weather agency said.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the eruption at the Showa crater was observed at 00: 34 a.m. Thursday, with plumes rising to 1,500 meters.
Sakurajima, located in Kagoshima Prefecture, is one of Japan's most active volcanoes. This marked the crater's third eruption after the first one observed at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday, the first time since April 2018.
The JMA maintained its eruption alert for the volcano at level 3 of 5 on its warning system, asking people to stay away from the mountain and be careful of flying volcanic rocks and pyroclastic flows within a 2 km radius from the volcano's crater.
Starting Wednesday, Japan reported multiple volcanic activities, according to local weather departments.
Three eruptions were observed at the Mitake crater on Mt. Suwanosejima, Kagoshima Prefecture, while Mt. Aso in southern Japan's Kumamoto Prefecture reported increasing volcanic micro-activities.
Eruption alerts for both volcanoes are currently at level 2 of the country's 5-tier warning system. ■