A volcano in Indonesia has erupted, blasting columns of thick ash 24,000 feet into the sky.
Mount Soputan, on the northern part of Sulawesi Island, erupted twice Monday morning, said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
He said in anticipation of hot ash and lava sliding down the volcano’s slopes, local residents have been urged to avoid activities near the mountain.
People were also warned about lava possibly flowing into rivers around the volcano and were urged to wear masks in case of ash rain.
Authorities kept the volcano’s alert at the second-highest level.
Soputan, which stands 5,853 feet tall, is one of Indonesia’s more than 120 active volcanoes.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 260 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”