Mountain erupts: ashes reach 2 500m

JAKARTA: Mount Sinabung in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province erupted at 7.47am local time yesterday, belching thick gray ashes 2 500m from its peak, the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre said.

“This eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 90mm and a duration of 246 seconds,” centre officer Armen Putra said.

At 3.42am local time, Sinabung also erupted, spewing thick ashes 1 000m for 150 seconds.

The centre recommended people not move to areas within a radius of 3km from the peak. It also urged people to avoid rivers originating from the volcano and to wear masks when going outside so that dangerous volcanic ashes will not be inhaled into their lungs.