Last Updated on August 10, 2020, 7:26 AM AST by Anthony Morris
Rumbling Mount Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island of Indonesia erupted on Monday, and sent a column of volcanic materials as high as 16,400 feet or 5,000 meters into the sky.
Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center of Indonesia said that there were no deaths or injuries from the morning eruption.
Villagers have been advised to stay 5 kilometres or 3.1 miles from the mouth of the crater, and the agency said that they have also been advised to be aware of the peril of lava.
Around 30,000 people were forced to leave their homes around the mountain over the past few years.
Armen Putra, an official at the Mount Sinabung observation post, said that a thick layer of ash had covered numerous villages up to 20 kilometres or 12.4 miles from the crater.
The volcano, one of two which is currently erupting in Indonesia, was dormant for over four centuries before it exploded in 2010, and killed two people. Another eruption occurred in 2014 killed 16 people, while an eruption in 2016 killed seven people.
Sinabung is one of more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which are prone to seismic upheaval due to the location of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” which is an arc of volcanoes and fault lines which encircle the Pacific Basin.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
