Merapi volcano erupts in Indonesia
In western Indonesia, Mount Marapi erupted on Sunday, ejecting a column of ash into the atmosphere reaching an altitude of three kilometres, according to an official source cited by AFP, as reported by Agerpres.
Hendra Gunawan, the head of the Indonesian Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, reported that the expelled ash from Mount Marapi, currently in the midst of its eruption, was observed at an altitude of 3,000 metres above its peak.
The eruption, occurring on Sumatra Island, commenced at the local time of 14:54 (07:54 GMT) and resulted in no immediate casualties or material damage. Gunawan described, "We can observe this very dense column of ash, a dark grey, leaning towards the east."
Residents around the volcano and tourists are prohibited from entering the restricted zone, within a radius of three kilometres around the crater, Gunawan stated in a press release.
Marapi, standing at an altitude of 2,891 metres, meaning "Mountain of Fire," is the most active volcano in Sumatra. Authorities currently place the alert level at the third tier on a four-level scale.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
