Jakarta:
Indonesia’s Semeru volcano on Java island erupted early Sunday, spewing a column of ash 1.5 km into the air, prompting authorities to warn residents to stay away from the eruption area.
Indonesia’s disaster response agency, BNPB, warned residents not to carry out activities within 5 km of the eruption center and to stay 500 meters from riverbanks due to the risk of lava flow.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said it was monitoring the possibility of a tsunami after the eruption, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The volcano began erupting at 2:46 a.m. (1946 GMT on Saturday), BNPB said in a statement. Videos posted to social media showed gray ash clouds in nearby areas.
BNPB did not immediately respond to Japan’s warning of tsunami risks.
Indonesian authorities have distributed masks to local residents, BNPB said in a statement, adding that volcanic activity remained at level III, below the highest level of IV.
With 142 volcanoes, Indonesia has the largest population in the world living near a volcano, including 8.6 million within a 10 km radius.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is being published from a syndicated feed.)
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