A volcano erupted in Indonesia on Sunday, causing a cloud of ash that reached 15 kilometres into the sky and forcing nearly 2.000 people to evacuate, authorities said, as they issued the highest warning for the area east of Java island.
There were no immediate reports of deaths from the eruption of volcano Semeru and Indonesia's transport ministry said air traffic was not affected but warnings were sent to two regional airports for vigilance.
"Most roads have been closed since this morning and now it is raining volcanic ash and has covered the view of the mountain," volunteer Bayu Deny Alfianto told Reuters."
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Semeru, Java's highest mountain, exploded last year killing over 50 people and displacing thousands.
The Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said 1,979 people were moved to 11 shelters and authorities are handing out masks to residents. The eruption began at 2:46 a.m. (9:46 p.m. Cyprus time on Saturday).
The height of the ash reached 15 kilometers, said Japan's Meteorological Agency, which was initially on alert for the possibility of a tsunami. The possibility was later ruled out.
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The eruption, about 640 kilometers east of the capital Jakarta, follows a series of earthquakes in western Java, including one last month that killed more than 300 people.
Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Control Center raised the level of volcanic activity to its highest level and warned residents to stay away from within 8 kilometers of the center of the Semeru eruption.
Hot ash clouds drifted up to 19 kilometers from the center of the eruption, it said. The center said a larger volume of magma is likely to have accumulated compared to previous volcano eruptions in 2021 and 2020, which could mean a greater risk to a larger area.
"Semeru's clouds may reach farther and at a distance where there may be many inhabitants," he said."
With 142 volcanoes, Indonesia has the largest population living in close proximity to a volcano, with 8.6 million people living within 10 kilometers of one."
Source: CNA
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