Indonesia's Merapi volcano ejects hot clouds

Mount Merapi on Indonesia's Java island erupted early Friday, ejecting fast-moving searing clouds down its slope and an ash column as high as 1 kilometre, the country's geological agency said.

The so-called pyroclastic flows travelled up to 3,000 metres on the south-east slope of the volcano, according to the National Geological Agency.

There were no reports of casualties and the volcano's alert level remained at the second-highest.

Merapi, the country's most active volcano, has erupted regularly since November last year.

In its last deadly round of eruptions in 2010, more than 340 people were killed and 60,000 others were displaced.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for seismic upheavals, and has about 128 active volcanoes.