Giant clouds of ash engulfed the skies as Mount Sinabung became the third volcano to erupt in Indonesia, in the space of just three days.
Mount Rinjani on Lombok island near Bali erupted on Monday, with the Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island and Mount Gamalama in the Moluccas chain of islands following suit late yesterday.
No one has been injured but flights at two airports have been disrupted.
The eruptions darkened skies in parts of the archipelago and disrupted some flights.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, the spokesman for Indonesia’s Disaster Mitigation Agency, said that Gamalama and Sinabung erupted late yesterday, blasting debris high into the air.
‘People are advised to stay calm,’ said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, adding authorities were not yet planning evacuations.
Nugroho said farms and trees around the three volcanoes were covered in gray ash, but nearby towns and villages were not in danger.
Hot ash tumbled down the Sinabung slopes as far as 2,000 metres (6,562 feet) southward into a river.
The volcano has been put on alert its highest level since June 2015 following a significant increase in activity.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:newsinfo.inquirer.net)
