Indonesia Issues Flight Warning, Closes Airport After Volcano Eruption

Indonesia has increased level of volcanic ash warning around Mount Sinabung volcano in Sumatra island to the highest and shut an airport in nearby Aceh province, transport ministry said on Tuesday.

JAKARTA, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Feb, 2018 ) :Indonesia has increased level of volcanic ash warning around Mount Sinabung volcano in Sumatra island to the highest and shut an airport in nearby Aceh province, transport ministry said on Tuesday.

Spokesman of the ministry Bambang Ervan said the warning was issued on Tuesday morning along with the closure of an airport. "Notam is issued for the closure of Alas airport in Kuta cane because of the impact of Mount Sinabung ash is issued today Tuesday)," he told Xinhua by phone.

The spokesman said the ash of the volcano heads to Aceh province but did not disturb flight in international Kualanamu airport in North Sumatra province.

Mount Sinabung volcano in Sumatra island of western Indonesia erupted on Monday, spewing a column of ash about 5 km to the sky and sliding hot ash down to its slope by 4.9 km to the southeast of the crater and 3.5 km to the east, according to national volcanology agency.

No casualties were reported so far, and the agency did not recommend new evacuation and or extension of no-go zone, it said. Mount Sinabung volcano had been dormant for four centuries before erupting in 2010.

The volcano resumed eruption in 2014 and 2016, living 25 casualties with over 30,000 people taking shelters. Mount Sinabung is among three volcanoes erupting in Indonesia which is home to 129 active volcanoes.