Indonesia starts to evacuate tourists after volcano erupts
National disaster authority says over 1,000 people have been removed to safety after popular hiking spot Mount Barujari erupted on Tuesday.
Indonesian rescuers began evacuating nearly 400 tourists, mostly foreigners, after a volcano erupted at one of its most popular hiking destinations, an official said on Wednesday.
Mount Barujari began erupting late on Tuesday, sending columns of ash and smoke two kilometres into the sky over Lombok Island, a tourist hotspot in Bali's eastern region.
"A rescue team has been sent to Mount Rinjani to evacuate the tourists. They set off on Wednesday morning," said national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho.
Over 1,100 others have been evacuated, the disaster agency said
Mount Barujari on Lombok Island erupted without warning on Tuesday. Islands part of Indonesia are prone to volcanic eruptions because of their location on the Ring of Fire, an area of seismic activity on the basin of the Pacific Ocean.
Hikers have been warned to keep at least three kilometres from the smouldering volcano, which is the popular tourist destination.
No flight disruptions were recorded on Wednesday and the international airport on the island of Lombok, remains unaffected.
Indonesia is home to 130 active volcanoes which sits on a belt of seismic activity known as the Pacific Ring of Fire.