MEDAN, Indonesia (AP) — Two volcanoes erupted Monday in Indonesia, prompting warnings for flights and evacuation preparations, official said.
Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province unleashed volcanic ash as high as 8,000 meters (26,250 feet), the highest of its eruptions in recent days, said government volcano expert Surono.
The 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) -high mountain has sporadically erupted since September after being dormant for three years.
Officials raised the alert status of Sinabung to the second-highest level after an eruption early this month, prompting evacuation of more than 6,000 villagers living near its slopes. Its activities have continued since then, sometimes unleashing lava down the slopes.
“It was the strongest eruption in the recent days,” said Surono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name.
Transportation Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said his office has issued a notice Monday for all airlines to avoid routes near the mountain.
Residents in Medan, the provincial capital about 50 kilometers (30 miles) northeastward, could see black smokes billowing from Sinabung.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/18/indonesia-volcanoes-sinabung-merapi-erupt_n_4294031.html