Lightning appears in the middle of a storm as seen from Gam IC in West Halmahera, North Maluku Province, Indonesia.

Lightning appears in the middle of a thunderstorm as seen from Gam IC in West Halmahera, North Maluku Province, Indonesia. | Photo credit: Reuters

Indonesia’s Mount Abu spewed thick clouds of red lava and gray ash that rose 5,000 meters (16,400 ft) into the sky on June 4 during a two-minute eruption.

Indonesia’s Geology Agency chief Mohammad Wafid said the eruption sent thick ash down the west and northwest flanks of the volcano.

A time-lapse video shared by Indonesia’s Geological Agency shows red sparks at the top of the volcano followed by a thick column of ash.

The video was recorded from an observation post located next to the evacuation site in a field in Gam IC village. Several evacuation tents were set up nearby.

Mount Abu has been erupting continuously almost every day since early May. Indonesian authorities raised the eruption alert to the highest level after a series of eruptions, as thousands of deep-seated volcanic earthquakes and a significant increase in visual activity from Mount Abu.

Authorities urged people to stay at least 7 kilometers (4.4 miles) away from the 1,325-meter (4,347-foot) volcano.

Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes. It is prone to volcanic activity because it sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean. (AP) NPK NPK



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