On Sunday, Mount Marapi in Indonesia erupted once more, releasing smoke and ash into the sky, but without any reported injuries.

The Marapi Volcano Observation Post in the province of West Sumatra reported a volcanic eruption with an ash column measuring approximately 1,300 meters (4,265 feet) in height from the peak. This was accompanied by ash rain. Ash from the eruption was observed covering roads and vehicles in nearby villages.

Since Friday, over 100 residents have been forced to leave their homes as the Indonesian government elevated the volcano’s alert status from Level 2 to Level 3 on Wednesday.

Marapi is notorious for unpredictable outbursts due to the fact that they are not triggered by a deep movement of magma. These eruptions do not produce seismic tremors that can be detected by monitoring systems.

In early December, this volcano erupted and sent thick columns of ash soaring up to 3 kilometers (over 9,800 feet). Sadly, 24 climbers lost their lives and several others were injured during the unexpected weekend eruption.

Around 1,400 individuals reside on the slopes of Marapi in the villages of Rubai and Gobah Cumantiang, which are approximately 5 to 6 kilometers (3.1 to 3.7 miles) from the highest point.

Marapi has been continuously active since a volcanic eruption occurred in January of the previous year, which fortunately did not result in any fatalities. This particular volcano is one of over 120 currently active ones in Indonesia. Due to its placement along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a curved area encompassing the Pacific Basin known for its numerous volcanoes and fault lines, Indonesia is susceptible to frequent seismic activity.

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This report was contributed to by Edna Tarigan, a writer for the Associated Press in Jakarta, Indonesia.

Source: wral.com