A volcano in eastern Indonesia has erupted, sending a column of ash as high as 4000 metres into the sky and prompting the evacuation of thousands of people.
Almost 5000 people from dozens of villages have been evacuated from the slopes of Mount Ili Lewotolok, which is located on Lembata island of East Nusa Tenggara province, according to the Jakarta Post.
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There were no reports of deaths or injuries from the eruption.
The country's Transportation Ministry said a flight warning had been issued after the eruption and a local airport had been closed as ash rained down on many areas of the island.
Local people have been taken to shelters, with officials appealing for more masks to help curb the spread of coronavirus.
Mount Ili Lewotolok has been erupting off and on since October 2017.
The Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Centre raised the volcano's alert level to the second-highest level on Sunday after sensors picked up increasing activity.
The Jakarta Post, reported pieces of ash as "big as coconuts" falling.
The 5423-metre mountain is one of three currently erupting in Indonesia along with Merapi on Java island and Sinabung on Sumatra island.
They are among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
After the eruption, the Disaster Mitigation Agency advised villagers and climbers to stay four kilometres from the crater and be aware of the peril of lava.
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