Indonesian authorities raised the alert status for one of the country’s most active volcanoes to the highest level on Sunday after the mountain repeatedly sent hot clouds of gas down its slope following a series of eruptions in recent days. Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra Province unleashed fresh volcanic ash and gravel as high as 5,000 meters and searing gas down its slope up to 2 km. The 2,600-meter high mountain has sporadically erupted since September after being dormant for three years. The volcano’s last eruption, in August 2010, killed two people and forced 30,000 others to flee. It caught many scientists off guard because it had been quiet for four centuries.—AP
Your Thoughts …
