Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA) - Three sub-districts were affected by volcanic ash and hot clouds that arose after Mount Sinabung in Karo, North Sumatra, erupted on Thursday evening, Karo District Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BPBD's) acting chief Natanail Perangin-angin stated.

"Mount Sinabung spewed hot clouds up to two thousand meters in the easterly and southeasterly directions and ejected a 1,500-meter-high ash column (into the sky)," he noted here on Thursday.

Berastagi, Merdeka, and Dolat Rakyat were the three affected sub-districts.

"No houses in the three sub-districts incurred damage owing to Mount Sinabung's eruption," he remarked.

On Wednesday, Mount Sinabung spewed ash clouds up to one thousand meters in the easterly and southeasterly directions.

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Chief of Mount Sinabung's monitoring post, Amien Putra, on Thursday, spoke of having warned local residents against entering the red zone on account of the volcano showing signs of heightened activity and a high possibility of eruption at anytime.

Residents are advised to stay outside a five-kilometer radius from the volcano's crater in the east and southeast and a four-km radius in the northeast, Putra stated.

"An alert status is still declared for Mount Sinabung. Hence, it will potentially erupt and spew (more) hot (ash) clouds,” Putra emphasized.

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Translator: Munawar Mandailing/Suharto
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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