Mount Kerinci in Jambi has erupted on Sunday, spewing smoke as high as 600 meters. The eruption occurred at 8:43 a.m. local time. Head of Sungai Rumpun village, Herman, said everyone panicked, pouring out of their houses worried that a bigger eruption would follow.
“A loud bang was heard in our village. When we looked up we saw the volcano spew plumes of black smoke,” said Herman, who contacted the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) to seek information.
An ash cloud turned the sky black and locals could smell sulfur in the air.
Half hour after the eruption, several villages in Gunung Tujuh district were blanketed in thick black ash, sparking concern for food crops, but heavy rain after the ash shower washed the crops clean.
Mt Kerinci last erupted in 2009. Activity increased in July 2011 with tremors recorded in October that year.