Indonesia’s Merapi volcano erupts, spewing ash

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia’s most active volcano Mount Merapi erupted on August 16, spewing clouds of ash while red lava flowed down its crater after several explosions.

The ash clouds travelled as far as 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) from the rumbling volcano, blanketing local communities in grey ash. 

There is yet any evacuation order or report on related fatalities.

Merapi, close to Indonesia’s cultural capital Yogyakarta on Java island, has been particularly active in recent months and authorities raised the danger alert level late last year.

Residents were told to avoid the area within a five-kilometer radius of the volcano.

Mount Merapi’s last major eruption in 2010 killed more than 300 people and forced the evacuation of around 280,000 residents from surrounding areas./.