One person was killed, at least 31 were injured and thousands more were forced to flee the eastern Indonesian island of Java after the Samaru volcano erupted today (Saturday), causing a huge column of smoke and ash to rise above the mountain.
Following the eruption of the volcano, one of about 130 active volcanoes in the island nation, thousands of people were forced to flee for their lives.
Emergency teams in the area are still trying to establish the status of the current outbreak.
According to the head of the East Java Disasters Agency, two districts were hit "very severely" following the eruption, which occurred around 3 p.m. (local time).
People take shelter from the eruption of the Samaru volcano in Indonesia, Photo: AP
Videos posted on social media since the eruption show residents of the area fleeing the clouds of smoke.
In other videos, people are seen crowding a mosque in one of the area's cities.
Emergency teams in the country are now working to evacuate people and set up temporary refugee camps in the area, to provide anyone in need with food, masks, blankets and shelter.
The eruption of the Indonesian volcano Samaru in the island of Java, Photo: API.
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