TOKYO, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Mount Io on the southwestern Japanese main island of Kyushu erupted again on Thursday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

According to the weather agency's preliminary information, the eruption occurred around 6:15 p.m. local time, and the volcano spewed a plume of smoke around 200 meters high.

The JMA maintained the level 3 warning issued last week which means the public should not approach the volcano, and warned of the possibility of pyroclastic flows.

Mt. Io, one of the Mt. Kirishima group of volcanoes straddling Kagoshima and Miyazaki prefectures, also erupted on April 19.