Ash soars 4 km into sky as Indonesian volcano erupts with dramatic purple lightning
Indonesia's Mount Ibu erupted again, sending ash 4 km high, as streaks of purple lightning flashed around its crater.
A volcano on the isolated Indonesian island of Halmahera erupted dramatically, shooting a grey ash cloud into the sky. Soon after the eruption, seven neighboring villages were evacuated. Mt. Ibu erupted on Saturday evening, spewing ash 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) high and flashing purple lightning around its crater, according to information and photographs given by Indonesia's volcanology agency.
A joint team of police, military, and search and rescue authorities was rushed to the region to evacuate residents from adjacent communities.
The disaster agency tweeted photos of authorities assisting the elderly, while other people were transported in pick-up trucks and sheltered in emergency tents for the night, reported Reuters. (Also Read: Elon Musk launches Starlink satellite internet service in Indonesia)
As the as cloud took to the sky, numerous individuals caught the display on camera and shared it on social media. Take a look at a few videos and pictures of the volcano here:
The agency did not provide any information about how many people had been moved, but authorities have recommended that a seven-km (4.35-mile) radius be cleared.
Indonesia's volcanology agency raised the alert level of the volcano to the highest level on Thursday, after Ibu erupted multiple times earlier this month.
Ibu's activities follow a series of eruptions of different volcanoes in Indonesia, which sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and has 127 active volcanoes. (Also Read: Indonesia expects oil and gas investments to rise 29% to $17 billion in 2024)
Flash floods and cold lava flow from Mount Marapi, one of the most active in West Sumatra province, covered several nearby districts following torrential rain on May 11, killing more than 60 people.
In recent weeks, North Sulawesi's Ruang volcano has also erupted, spewing incandescent lava. The eruption prompted authorities to evacuate more than 12,000 people on a nearby island.
