People evacuated as volcano erupts in Indonesia

Jakarta – The authorities in Indonesia’s Karo district of North Sumatra province evacuated 1,293 people from the slope of Mount Sinabung that erupted Sunday, an official said here Monday.

The 2,475 m (8,120 ft) high Mount Sinabung erupted again early Sunday, unleashing a column of ash up to 7,000 m to the sky. Authorities recommended evacuation of people living in the evacuation zone of 3 km from the crater, reported Xinhua.

“As many as 1,293 people have fled to safe areas after the major explosion of Mount Sinabung,” said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster management and mitigation agency.

The authorities have raised the alert status to the second highest following an increase of seismic activities at the mountain over the recent weeks, he said.

The Mount Sinabung volcano erupted with a major explosion Oct 24, sending a column of smoke up to 3,000 m high.

The volcano is among 129 active volcanoes in the vast archipelago country, which is vulnerable to seismic upheaval as it lays on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”.