JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Mount Semeru, the highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated island of Java, spewed hot clouds to as far as 4.5 kilometers on Saturday.
There was no immediate evacuation, but the National Disaster Management Agency warned people living in the villages on the slopes of the 3,676-meter-high mountain to be vigilant looking for signs of danger.
Raditya Jati, spokesperson for the agency, said people around the stream area on the slopes of the mountain should beware of high rainfall intensity that could cause lava flow.
The volcanology and geological hazard mitigation center in Indonesia has not increased Semeru’s alert status, which was already at the third highest level since it began erupting in May. The volcano spewed 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) of hot ash in early December, causing panic among villagers.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists monitor more than 120 active volcanoes.
A strong earthquake struck Sulawesi Island in Indonesia early on Friday, killing at least 46 people.