Mount Sinabung erupts, sending ash plume over Sumatra with no injuries reported

Mount Sinabung erupted on Monday, projecting a dense column of ash and smoke roughly 3,500 meters into the sky over Sumatra. No casualties, evacuations, or flight disruptions were reported, though authorities urged people to stay clear of settlements in Karo district and any area within six kilometres of the summit. Ash coated roads, vehicles and structures in several nearby villages, prompting the distribution of protective masks.

The volcano alert level was upgraded to "Watch," expanding the safety perimeter around the 2,600-meter peak. Lana Saria, head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency, described the eruption as an initial event that might be followed by a more significant blast. The agency had already noted heightened activity in mid-August, including dozens of tremors, and reminded the public of the ongoing risk to the roughly 30,000 residents displaced by past eruptions.