Indonesia's Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra just erupted at 10:16 Western Indonesia Time and a second time about an hour later. Ash had spewed more than 16,000 feet high (three miles), causing local villagers to vacate the area.
According to Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre, there were no fatalities or injures caused by the eruption. Locals have been advised to say at least three miles away from the volcano.
This is the third time Mount Sinabung has spewed ash and smoke since Saturday, August 8. The volcano's first eruption this year released ash and smoke more than 6,000 feet high.
Armen Putera, a PVMGB official, said, 'We have to increase our vigilance and avoid the danger zone of Mt. Sinabung' since tectonic earthquakes have increased with signs of eruptions.
The Ring of Fire
Sinabung is one of 147 volcanoes in Indonesia, and one of 129 active ones due to frequent seismic activity for its location with the Pacific Ring of Fire. Also known as the Circum-Pacific Belt, the region in the Pacific Ocean is marked with active volcanoes and earthquake fault lines. Roughly 75% of the world's volcanoes are located in the Ring of Fire, a total of more than 450 volcanoes.
The volcano became active again in 2010 after nearly four hundred years of inactivity. Eruptions between 2014 and 2016 have killed 23 people and forced about 30,000 locals to leave their mountainside homes in the past few years.
Near the end of June, Mount Merapi on the island of Java erupted spewing nearly 4 miles of ash and gas explosions. Two eruptions on June 21 had lasted up to seven minutes each.
The recent consecutive eruptions have left abandoned villages near the volcano's slopes covered with about two inches of ash. Locals are also being warned of possible lava flows.
Rachrur Rozi Pasi, a resident near the volcano described that the incident lasted less than half a minute and 'the sound was like thunder.' Gilbert Sembiring, a local who was in a nearby village to visit a friend said, 'The situation around Mount Sinabung is very dark now. It was bigger than the eruption a couple of days ago.'
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Eruptions are Unpredictable
Professor Bill McGuire of the Geophysical & Climate Hazards at University College London said that activity in the Ring of Fire is unpredictable 'like trying to pick the winning numbers in the lottery. 'However, there are warning signs before volcanoes erupt. 'For magma to reach the surface, it must break rock, which causes small earthquakes that can be detected using seismometers,' explained McGuire.
Local authorities currently have the area at alert level three. Experts predict that the volcano can have more eruptions soon accompanied by more ash cloud explosions. Nurul Asrori of the Sinabung observation post said that a massive eruption is likely to occur soon. 'We ask residents and tourists to exercise caution, stay away from Mt. Sinabung. Keep your guard up, because a larger eruption could occur anytime.'
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