Hundreds evacuated after a volcano erupted in Indonesia

The Indonesian TV channel reported that early Sunday morning, local time, Semeru volcano erupted compass.

Shortly thereafter, the local authorities issued a warning in the area that no one should go more than five kilometers from the crater or near the water because of the danger of lava.

The country’s disaster agency stated that the eruption was caused by monsoon rains that fell on the volcano and eroded the lava crust on the summit.

An ash cloud rose several kilometers from the volcano and authorities began evacuating. Many buildings in nearby villages were covered in ash, but there were no reports of casualties.

Indonesia is located in The so-called “Ring of Fire” that lies like a ribbon across the Pacific Ocean and is often affected by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is one of the most active seismic zones on Earth, stretching from Japan and Indonesia to North and Central America.

Two weeks ago, the island of Java, where Semeru is located, was hit by a massive earthquake that killed 330 people.

Semeru volcano also erupted last year. About 50 people were killed and several thousand saw their homes destroyed. There are more than 100 active volcanoes in Indonesia, and it is the country in the world where most of the population lives near a volcano, reports Reuters.