Volcano Morapi in Indonesia erupts, spewing ashes 3km high

Padang, Indonesia: The Mount Marapi here erupted on Sunday, throwing a column of ash about three kilometres into the sky, Agence France-Presse reported, citing officials.

The volcano situated in Western Indonesia, on the island of Sumatra, spewed ashes 3,000 metres above its peak, says Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia's Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.

No immediate reports of damage or casualties were reported after the eruption started at 2:54 pm local time.

Gunavan said that the erupted ash is observed to be grey in colour, thick in intensity, and leaning toward the east. Also, the eruption continues, he added.

Mount Marapi has a peak of 2,891 metres. It is on the third-highest alert level of Indonesia's four-step system. The administration has imposed an exclusion zone around Marapi's crater.

Gunwan continued that communities around the Marapi volcano, and tourists are advised not to hike Marapi within a three-kilometre radius of the peak.

Ahmad Rifandi, an official at the Mount Marapi monitoring station, told AFP that ash rain was observed after the eruption.

An official from Mount Marapi monitoring station told AFP that the ash rain reached Bukittinggi city, the third largest city in West Sumatra, hosting a population of more than 1,00,000. People who are doing activities around the volcano were advised to wear hats, glasses and masks.

Mount Marapi, meaning 'Mountain of Fire', is the most active volcano on Sumatran island.

The Indonesian archipelago sits in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Here, continental plates meet and have high volcanic and seismic activity. The country has nearly 130 active volcanoes.

In May, its most active volcano, Mount Merapi in Java, spewed lava more than two kilometres from its crater.

Mount Merapi had spewed 2 kilometres of lava in May.