JAKARTA (Indonesia) - A VOLCANO in central Indonesia erupted on Monday, shooting clouds of smoke and flames into the night sky.

Indonesia's volcanology centre said Mount Soputan, roughly 2,160 kilometers north-east of capital Jakarta on Sulawesi island, billowed smoke plumes as high as one kilometre.

The nearest villages are eight kilometres from the crater's mouth, well out of the danger zone, the agency said on its website.

Although no evacuations were ordered, people were warned to stay at a safe distance because it might spew lava.

Indonesia, a tropical archipelago straddling a major fault line known as the 'Pacific Ring of Fire,' has more active volcanoes than any other nation. The 1,780-meter Mount Soputan has been one of the most active. -- AP