Another eruption at Sinabung

Mount Sinabung in Sumatra has followed yesterday’s eruption with a new eruption this morning, reports the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia:

Today, Monday 30 August 2010 at 06:30, Mount Sinabung re-erupted with a column of 2000 metres altitude above the summit. Please be warned of ashfall around Sinabung.

Evacuations have been continuing, with around 16,000 to 20,000 people from villages around Sinabung now living in government shelters. Masks have been distributed by government emergency officials as respiratory problems caused by ashfall are a major hazard.

There is some confusion about the height reached by the emissions produced by this latest eruption. Darwin VAAC (archived advisories here) has issued several volcanic ash advisories (0022Z, 0038Z, 0130Z, 0620Z) warning of ash at FL200 (20,000 feet / 6000 metres) but reports that local weather conditions have prevented satellite confirmation of the ash cloud. Darwin gives ‘CVGHM’ – i.e. the Indonesian volcanological authorities – as the source for the FL200 report, but the VSI clearly states ‘2000 metres’, and head Indonesia volcanologist Surono is quoted in the media as saying that ‘volcanic materials were thrown about two kilometres into the sky’. The BBC News report hedges its bets with talk of the volcano ‘sending ash and smoke several kilometres into the atmosphere’ (journalists do love their volcanic ‘smoke’), and reports that domestic flights from Medan Airport have been suspended because of the eruption.

[Thanks to PP for letting me know about the VSI report and providing a translation.]

News
Indonesia volcano erupts again after long dormancy – BBC News, 30 August 2010
Another major eruption sends more refugees from Sinabung – Tempo Interaktif, 30 August 2010
Indonesian volcano erupts again, spewing hot ash – Associated Press, 30 August 2010

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Sinabung – summary information for Sinabung (0601-08=)
Volcanological Survey of Indonesia – News and information portal for the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (site often down)