YAKARTA: Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupted on Thursday with a series of explosions sending ash columns two kilometres into the sky, prompting a flight warning and fears of lava flows.
The activity marked at least the eighth time the volcano rumbling on the island of Sumatra erupted in less than a week, no primary injuries or injuries were reported.
Authorities have issued a warning to planes flying near the volcano, which last experienced a fatal eruption in 2016.
“There is the possibility of further eruptions and it is suggested that airlines be on alert,” said Raditya Jati, a spokesman for the National Disaster Mitigation Agency.
The crater’s warning prestige remained at the same level.
Khati said the government had marked a five-kilometre prohibited zone around Sinabung and warned of lava flows imaginable.
“People should wear masks if they leave their homes to protect themselves against the effects of volcanic ash on fitness,” he added.
Villagers watch the eruption of Mount Sinabung from Karo in northern Sumatra on August 13, 2020. AFP PHOTO
On Monday, Sinabung erected a smoke and ash tower about five kilometres high, covering communities with a thick layer of debris after weekend eruptions.
Sinabung came back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After an era of inactivity, it erupted in 2013 and has remained very active ever since.
In 2016, seven other people died in one of The Sinabung eruptions, while a 2014 eruption killed 16.
In 2018, a volcano in the strait between the islands of Java and Sumatra erupted, causing an underwater landslide and tsunami that killed more than 400 people.
Indonesia is home to active volcanoes due to its position in the “Ring of Fire”, a tectonic plate border belt that surrounds the Pacific Ocean where common seismic activity occurs.
You have effectively joined our subscriber list.