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Nearly 8,000 more villagers evacuated as Mt. Sinabung volcano still threatening

Xinhua, June 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

Authorities have displaced nearly 8, 000 more villagers living nearby Mount Sinabung volcano in western parts of Indonesia, as the volcano seismic activity reminds high and threatening, official said here on Tuesday.

Mount Sinabung in Karo district of North Sumatra unleashed new powerful bursts by up to 2 km into the sky on Saturday night and authorities have decided to expand dangerous areas to 7 km to the southeast and east of the crater, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of the national disaster management agency said.

"Until now eruption and unleash of hot ash are still in fluctuation," he told Xinhua via phone.

"The hike of the alert status to the top and expansion of areas that must be emptied, 7 km to the southeast and south of the crater, led the evacuation growth," Sutopo disclosed.

"On Monday night 7,549 residents were evacuated by soldier, police, volunteers and officials from local disaster management agency," he added.

So, by Tuesday the total evacuees reached to 10,714 people who shelter in 10 separate posts, and those add to 6,179 displaced persons who have been in shelters since June 2014, said Sutopo.

Indonesian authorities have risen alert status of Mount Sinabung in Karo district of North Sumatra to the top level since earlier June.

Mount Sinabung of 2,600-meter (some 8,530-foot) high has sporadically erupted since September 2013 after being dormant for 3 years.

Sixteen people were killed and thousand others were forced to flee homes after the volcano erupted massively in February 2014.

Mount Sinabung is one of Indonesia's 129 active volcanoes located on the vulnerable quake-hit zone called the Pacific Ring of Fire. Endi