A giant cloud of ash turned the sky dark as Indonesia's Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra witnessed a terrifying volcano. The volcano ash formed a giant cloud spewing 5 kms (3.1 miles) into the sky before it rained down on the nearby villages. Indonesia's Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center has warned of a potential lava flow.
The two eruptions, just three days apart, come after more than a year of inactivity on the island. Several videos and photos have been shared to show the dramatic aftermath of the volcano eruption. Thick ash is seen forming a giant cloud from the peak of the mountain (over 16,000 ft) in Karo.
Many residents shared their observations. One resident Fachrur Rozi Pasi told Reuters that a thunderous sound lasted for more than 30 seconds. Monday's eruption was reportedly bigger than the one that took place on Saturday. The areas around Mount Sinabung is "very dark now," said one Gilbert Sembiring.
Sinabung had been inactive for centuries before it erupted in 2010. In the last few years, around 30,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes around Sinabung. No casualties have been reported in the recent eruptions, unlike one in 2014 when 16 people were killed and another one in 2016, which killed 7.
