Indonesia volcano Mount Soputan erupts

2012-09-18 19:20

Indonesia has raised the alert status of Mount Soputan to the second-highest level, level III also named Siaga, after the volcano spewed ash to 1 200. (Andreas, AFP)

Jakarta - One of Indonesia's most active volcanos has erupted, shooting ash and smoke nearly 1km into the sky.

State volcanology official Kristianto says Mount Soputan on central Indonesia's Sulawesi island erupted on Tuesday afternoon.

Kristianto, who uses one name, says there is no plan for an immediate evacuation since the nearest villages are outside the danger area of about 6.5km from the crater.

Mount Soputan is about 2 160km northeast of Jakarta. It last erupted in July last year, causing no casualties.

Indonesia straddles the "Pacific Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines around the Pacific Basin. It has more active volcanoes than any other nation.

Another mountain, Gamalama, erupted last week on the Molucca Islands.

- SAPA