JAKARTA (XINHUA) - Mount Agung volcano on the Indonesian resort island of Bali erupted on Thursday (Jan 10) night, spewing columns of volcanic ash, Indonesian authorities said.

The height of the volcanic ash could not be seen, as the mountain peak was covered by thick haze.

The eruption took place at 7.55pm local time, and lasted for four minutes and 26 seconds, according to data from Mount Agung monitoring outpost located in Rendang, Bali's Karangasem regency.

The agency kept the alert status of Mount Agung at second highest Level 3 out of the highest Level 4.

Indonesia's Centre of Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation has set a danger zone of 4km from Mount Agung's crater, advising locals, tourists and trekkers not to have any activities within the danger zone.

The agency also advised residents living around rivers with upstream near Mount Agung's summit to stay alert on secondary impacts from the eruption.

Heavy rain may drift down cold lava and volcanic materials from the peak of the volcano to the rivers, the agency said.

Mount Agung last erupted on Dec 30, 2018, affecting areas in Bali's eastern regency of Karangasem. The eruption lasted for around three minutes.