Mount Sinabung erupts, produces towering ash cloud
By
Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Mar 4, 2021 8:23 PM EDT
Cleanup was underway in Karo, Indonesia, on March 2, after Mount Sinabung erupted, spewing ash thousands of feet into the sky
A volcano in Indonesia expelled a massive plume of ash into the sky Tuesday, and the ash left quite a mess behind in several towns as it fell back to Earth.
Mount Sinabung, on the island of Sumatra, erupted on the morning of Tuesday, March 2, spewing ash and debris into the air. The plume of ash reached as high as 16,400 feet (5,000 meters), according to ABC News.
The volcano reportedly became more active over the previous week before the major eruption.
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The town of Karo, just southwest of the city of Medan, was the most impacted by the eruption. Officials warned locals to stay away from the crater, according to CNN.
While there were no injuries or calls for evacuations following the eruption, ash reportedly was falling across the town. The ground, vehicles and homes were all coated in a layer of ash.
Mount Sinabung spews volcanic material during an eruption in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The 2,600-metre (8,530-feet) volcano is 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 encircling the Pacific Basin. (AP Photo/Mukhsil Lubis)
In an interview with AFP, a local farmer of the town expressed that the ash was ruining crops in the region.
"All the crops are damaged. Like, those banana trees are gone. I won't have any income from the farm," the farmer explained.
The Borus river area was damaged by the pyroclastic eruption materials of Sinabung volcano during eruption process. Photo taken from the plantation area of Gamber village in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia on March 3, 2021. (Reuters)
The island of Sumatra is located near the equator and is in a spot on the Earth that gets frequent wet weather. There will be several opportunities for rain to wash the ash away through the end of the week, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
Across Indonesia, there are more than 120 active volcanoes. The country's location along the "Ring of Fire", which is an arc of volcanos along fault lines around the Pacific ocean, makes it a prime location for eruptions.
In another part of the world located away from the Ring of Fire, Mount Etna, in Italy, has also been very active in the past week, as it has coated several villages in ash following persistent eruptions. When Etna erupted Sunday, the plume of ash shot 4 miles (6 km) into the air, forcing the closure of the Sicily's Catania Airport. Etna also was seen spewing lava in the days leading up to eruption of ash.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, Fubo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather News
Mount Sinabung erupts, produces towering ash cloud
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Mar 4, 2021 8:23 PM EDT
Cleanup was underway in Karo, Indonesia, on March 2, after Mount Sinabung erupted, spewing ash thousands of feet into the sky
A volcano in Indonesia expelled a massive plume of ash into the sky Tuesday, and the ash left quite a mess behind in several towns as it fell back to Earth.
Mount Sinabung, on the island of Sumatra, erupted on the morning of Tuesday, March 2, spewing ash and debris into the air. The plume of ash reached as high as 16,400 feet (5,000 meters), according to ABC News.
The volcano reportedly became more active over the previous week before the major eruption.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
The town of Karo, just southwest of the city of Medan, was the most impacted by the eruption. Officials warned locals to stay away from the crater, according to CNN.
While there were no injuries or calls for evacuations following the eruption, ash reportedly was falling across the town. The ground, vehicles and homes were all coated in a layer of ash.
Mount Sinabung spews volcanic material during an eruption in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 2, 2021. The 2,600-metre (8,530-feet) volcano is 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 encircling the Pacific Basin. (AP Photo/Mukhsil Lubis)
In an interview with AFP, a local farmer of the town expressed that the ash was ruining crops in the region.
"All the crops are damaged. Like, those banana trees are gone. I won't have any income from the farm," the farmer explained.
The Borus river area was damaged by the pyroclastic eruption materials of Sinabung volcano during eruption process. Photo taken from the plantation area of Gamber village in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia on March 3, 2021. (Reuters)
The island of Sumatra is located near the equator and is in a spot on the Earth that gets frequent wet weather. There will be several opportunities for rain to wash the ash away through the end of the week, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
Related:
Across Indonesia, there are more than 120 active volcanoes. The country's location along the "Ring of Fire", which is an arc of volcanos along fault lines around the Pacific ocean, makes it a prime location for eruptions.
In another part of the world located away from the Ring of Fire, Mount Etna, in Italy, has also been very active in the past week, as it has coated several villages in ash following persistent eruptions. When Etna erupted Sunday, the plume of ash shot 4 miles (6 km) into the air, forcing the closure of the Sicily's Catania Airport. Etna also was seen spewing lava in the days leading up to eruption of ash.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, Fubo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo