Indonesia's Sinabung erupts, spewing ash 5,000 meters

Sinabung volcano on Indonesia's Sumatra island erupted on Tuesday, spewing ash columns up to 5,000 meters, said authorities.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Natanael Warinangin, head of the Karo regency's Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), said the ash column towered 4,000 to 5,000 meters above the peak.

Warinangin said the hot cloud gliding distance reached 2-5 kilometers to the east and southeast and the volcano has spewed hot clouds 13 times from 6:42 a.m. (23:42 Monday GMT) to 8:20 a.m. local time (01:20 Tuesday GMT).

"Until now [10.00 a.m. local time and 03:00 GMT] it is still erupting and we are still monitoring it," he said.

Two sub-districts on the southwest side of Sinabung are affected by ash rain due to hot clouds, including the districts of Tiganderket and Kutabuluh.

More than 37 villages in the Karo regency of North Sumatra province are affected by volcanic ash, including Tiganderket, Kutabuluh, Tigabinanga, and Laubaleng, which are located on the west and southwest of the volcano.

The agency advised people not to do activities outside their homes or to use masks to avoid the adverse effect of volcanic ash.

Warinangin also called on residents not to have activities within 3-5 kilometers of the peak.