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A viral video on Twitter shows massive clouds of smoke as Indonesia‘s highest volcano erupted, sending a plume of ash about 50,000 feet into the sky.
What Happened: Indonesia evacuated thousands of people living on the country’s main island, Java, to safety as “hot avalanches” of lava poured from the Mount Semeru volcano.
The authorities imposed an eight-kilometer no-go zone and forced evacuations of entire villages, reported Reuters. As the island’s tallest volcano erupted, several villages were blanketed with falling ash, blocking out the sun; however, no casualties have been reported.
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Semeru, also known as “The Great Mountain,” is one of the most active volcanoes. Last time, it erupted exactly one year ago and killed at least 50 people and left streets filled with mud and ash.
The eruption on Sunday came after a series of earthquakes jolted the west of Java island, including one last month that killed more than 300 people.
The viral video of the eruption, shot by residents, shows Semeru spewing a giant cloud of grey ash high above its crater as it engulfed the mountain and surrounding areas.
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Image and article originally from www.benzinga.com. Read the original article here.