JAKARTA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Mount Raung in Banyuwangi Regency, Indonesia's East Java province, erupted on Thursday, prompting a flight alert, the country's Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center said.
The eruption occurred twice on Thursday, with the larger one at 04:43 a.m. Jakarta time, spewing a column of ash up to 2,000 meters into the sky.
The gray ash clouds, of moderate intensity, moved southeastward and southward from the volcano.
A Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation at orange level, the second highest, has been issued, prohibiting planes from flying below 5,000 meters in the vicinity of the volcano. Aircraft should also remain alert to the presence of volcanic ash, which poses a threat to flight safety.
Communities, tourists, and visitors are advised not to engage in any activities within a 3-km radius of the crater.
With an altitude of 3,332 meters above sea level, Mount Raung is one of Indonesia's 127 active volcanoes. ■
