Indonesia Issues Flight Warning As Volcanic Ash Endangers Planes

Planes passing through pathway around Mount Sinabung volcano in Sumatra island have been cautioned to exercise caution as volcanic ashes from the volcano endangers flight, the national volcanology agency said here on Tuesday

JAKARTA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 7th May, 2019 ) :Planes passing through pathway around Mount Sinabung volcano in Sumatra island have been cautioned to exercise caution as volcanic ashes from the volcano endangers flight, the national volcanology agency said here on Tuesday.

Mount Sinabung of 2,475 meter high situated in Karo district of North Sumatra province erupted on Tuesday, spewing a column of ashes up to 2,000-meter high, the agency said.

The belching of ash smoke shot from the volcano spread to the east and southeast of the crater, the agency said.

"The volcanology agency has issued a notification dealing with flight activities. The notification is at the level of orange, meaning that the volcanic activities are potential to endanger flight," the volcanology agency said in a statement.

The notification or volcano observatory notice for aviation (VONA) will be renewed if the condition change significantly, it added.

The eruption also triggered rains of ashes pouring down areas in the flank of the volcano, spokesman of national disaster management agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told Xinhua.

Mount Sinabung has been on top alert status with no-go zone from 3 km to 7 km, according to the country's volcanology agency.

Mount Sinabung has been active again in 2010 after dormancy since 1,600. In its eruption in 2014, 16 people were killed and thousands of others displaced.