A highly active volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra erupted again on Wednesday afternoon, sending searing hot clouds of gas and ash as far as 4.6 kilometers down its slopes, the country's volcanology agency said.
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation said the major eruption of Mount Sinabung, located in North Sumatra province, occurred at 3:36 p.m. and lasted for 8 minutes. It was its biggest eruption since August.
"Smoke and volcanic ash were spewed from the crater and the ash fell on several villages around Mount Sinabung," it said.