Jakarta: Soputan Volcano in Indonesia's eastern Sulawesi province erupted late on Monday, the country's National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
Authorities have increased the volcano's status from alert (level II) to higher level of standby (level III), according to China's (Xinhua) News Agency.
The volcano spewed billowing smoke into the air as high as 2,000 meters, heading southeast. "The lava was seen decreasing in the east side of the volcano slope with thundering sounds heard from the crater of the volcano," Sutopo said.
By raising the status to standby, people are prohibited from any activity within a radius of 4 kilometers from the volcano, according to Sutopo.
Mount Soputan, one of the most active volcanoes in North Sulawesi, last erupted in March 2015.
QNA
