Volcano on Sumatra spews ash

Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted yesterday morning, spewing a massive column of smoke and ash as high as 5km into the sky.

The volcano on Sumatra island started blasting debris early in the morning, according to a local geological agency, which recorded 13 bursts.

The authorities have instructed residents to avoid a 5km radius around the crater, a zone that has been left unoccupied for years amid increasing volcanic activity.

No evacuation orders have been issued and there have been no reported flight disruptions.

Sinabung, a 2,460m volcano, was dormant for centuries before roaring back to life in 2010, when an eruption killed two people.

After another period of inactivity, it erupted again in 2013 and has been highly active since.

In 2014, an eruption killed at least 16 people, while seven died in a 2016 blast.

The volcano sits on the Ring of Fire, a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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