Fresh volcanic eruption triggers evacuation in Indonesia

Authorities ordered evacuation after a volcano on a remote Indonesian island erupted, spewing a grey ash cloud into the air, local media reported on Sunday.

Mt. Ibu, located on Halmahera island, erupted on the evening of May 18, sending ash 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) high, said Indonesia's Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).

Residents of at least seven villages have been evacuated by a joint team comprising police, military and search-and-rescue officials, Abdul Muhari, the head of the disaster agency's disaster data, said in a statement.

He did not provide the number of people evacuated but authorities have recommended that a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius be cleared.

The PVMBG raised the alert level of the volcano to the highest level on May 16, after Mt. Ibu erupted multiple times earlier in May.

Positioned on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", Indonesia, the largest populated Muslim country, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity with 127 active volcanoes.

On May 11, flash flooding and cold lava flow from Mt. Marapi, one of the most active in West Sumatra province, covered several nearby districts following torrential rain, killing more than 60 people.

Last month, volcanic eruptions in North Sulawesi province left dozens of flights canceled, affecting thousands of passengers, as authorities closed the Sam Ratulangi Airport.