Mount Sinabung – the hugely active volcano on the Indonesian island of Sumatra – is erupting again, spewing out a towering column of volcanic ash more than four kilometres (2.6 miles) high. The volcano erupted at least 19 times between 8am and noon local time on Wednesday (2 August), sending lava flowing down the mountain's slopes.
2 August 2017: A man rides a motorbike past a towering column of volcanic ash from Mount Sinabung, in Beganding Village, Karo, North Sumatra, IndonesiaYT Haryono/Reuters2 August 2017: A villager covered in volcanic ash rides a motorbike after the latest eruption of Mount Sinabung, in Beganding Village, KaroYT Haryono/Reuters
Hot ash tumbled down the mountain's slopes as far as 4.5 kilometres (2.8 miles) east and southeast into the Labortus River. National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said thousands of people in 10 villages were directly affected by ash fall from the latest eruption. He warned villagers to stay out of a danger zone that extends as far as 7 kilometres (4.4 miles) from the peak.
The 2,460-metre (8,070-foot) high volcano blasted back to life in 2010 after about 400 years of dormancy. It then went into inactivity for about three years before it erupted again and has been erupting sporadically ever since. In May last year, seven people were killed in one of Sinabung's eruptions, while 16 were killed in 2014. IBTimes UK looks at life in the shadow of one of the world's most active volcanoes.
30 August 2010: Mount Sinabung erupts for the first time in centuries, spewing plumes of smoke and ash into the airTarmizy Harva/Reuters14 November 2013: Mount Sinabung spews a column of ash 2.5 miles highUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images26 November 2013: A flower blossoms as leaves are seen covered by ash from Mount Sinabung at Sukanalu village in Karo districtBeawiharta/Reuters11 January 2014: A man rides a buffalo away from an area covered in ash and mud from the eruption of Mount SinabungUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images11 January 2014: Villagers sitting in the back of a truck are transferred to a temporary evacuation centreUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images11 January 2014: The window of a house in Bekerah village, Karo district, is partially covered in ash spewed out of Mount SinabungBeawiharta/Reuters12 January 2014: A man recovers his possessions from the remains of his house which was destroyed by ash and mud from Mount Sinabung in Sigarang Garang villageUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images12 January 2014: People clear ash from the roof of a house in Sigarang Garang village, Karo District, North SumatraUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images12 January 2014: Chickens are seen among plants covered by ash from Mount Sinabung near Sigarang-Garang village in Karo districtRoni Bintang/Reuters14 January 2014: A villager rides a motorcycle through an area covered in mud and ash from Mount Sinabung at Kuta Rakyat village in Karo districtBeawiharta/Reuters1 February 2014: Residents run away to escape hot volcanic ash clouds engulfing villages in Karo districtChaideer Mahyuddin/AFP2 February 2014: Rescuers walk past abandoned motorcycles as they search through thick ash for bodies after Mount Sinabung volcano erupted, killing at least 15 peopleAtar/AFP2 February 2014: Relatives pray during the burial of a victim killed by the eruption of Mount Sinabung in Suka village, Karo DistrictUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images8 October 2014: Mount Sinabung volcano erupts, as seen from Tiga Pancur village, Karo RegencyYT Haryono/Reuters20 June 2015: A man rides a motorcycle as Mount Sinabung spews ash, as seen from Tiga Kicat village in Karo DistrictUlet Ifansasti/Getty Images24 June 2015: A resident reacts as Mount Sinabung volcano spews ash during an eruption at Tiga Serangkai village in Karo RegencyBeawiharta/Reuters25 June 2015: The ruins of a health centre damaged by ash and mud from Mount Sinabung in the abandoned village of Bekerah, in KaroBeawiharta/Reuters26 June 2015: Thick ash rises from Mount Sinabung volcano during an eruption as seen from Kuta Tengah village in Karo RegencyBeawiharta/Reuters24 May 2016: Primary school children wear masks while walking home from school in Karo districtGatha Ginting/AFP25 May 2016: A farmer tries to salvage his tomatoes covered with ash from Mount Sinabung in Karo districtAlbert Damanik/AFP11 April 2017: Children play at a school in Karo District in the shadow of a huge cloud of volcanic ashTibta Pangin/AFP2 May 2017: The erupting Mount Sinabung volcano spews hot lava as seen from Beganding village in KaroTibta Pangin/AFP19 May 2017: Villagers look on as Mount Sinabung volcano spews a thick column of volcanic ash, as seen from Beganding village in KaroIvan Damanik/AFP30 May 2017: A column of ash towers over Mount Sinabung, as seen from the town of Brastagi in Karo, North Sumatra provinceTibta Pangin/AFP21 July 2017: A woman carrying a child watches Mount Sinabung volcano spewing thick volcanic ash, as seen from KaroGatha Ginting/AFP30 July 2017: The Milky Way is seen behind hot lava flowing down Mount SinabungTibta Pangin/AFP2 August 2017: A villager covered in volcanic ash rides a motorbike after the latest eruption of Mount Sinabung, in Beganding Village, KaroYT Haryono/Reuters2 August 2017: A man covers his head as thick ashes blankets Tiga Pancur village in KaroIvan Damanik/AFP
