JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) – Mount Semeru, the highest volcano on Indonesia’s most densely populated island of Java, spewed hot clouds up to 4.5 kilometers (nearly 3 miles) on Saturday.
There were no immediate evacuations, but the National Disaster Mitigation Agency warned those living in villages on the slopes of the 3,676-foot mountain to be vigilant to look for signs of danger.
Agency spokesman Raditya Jati said people around the catchment area on the slopes of the mountain should beware of high rainfall intensities that can cause lava flooding.
Indonesia’s volcanological and geological mitigation center has not raised Semeru’s alert status, which was already at its third highest level since it began erupting in May. The volcano spewed hot ash over 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in early December, causing panic among villagers.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 250 million people, lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Government seismologists track more than 120 active volcanoes.
A strong earthquake shook the Indonesian island of Sulawesi early Friday, killing at least 46 people.