Giant Volcano Spews Ash And Lava Over Indonesian Villages, Evacuating Thousands

A large volcano named Mount Sinabung, on Sumatra Island in Indonesia, has been erupting for several days, covering the area with ash and forcing thousands of people to evacuate.

The mountain is located in western Indonesia and started erupting violently a few days ago. It's been hurling out red-hot ash, rocks, and torrents of lava, impacting areas up to four miles away, according to the AFP.

Early Monday morning the volcano spewed volcanic ash 2.5 miles into the sky, followed by hot clouds and blazing lava that flowed as far as half a mile from the peak of the volcano.

The mountains rumblings have been growing stronger since September, when it started spewing ash and lava for the first time since 2010. Before then, the volcano had been silent for at least a few hundred years.

The villagers are scared, a local government spokesperson Robert Peranginangin told the AFP.

"They just don't feel safe and are panicking. They prefer to stay in shelters, like mosques and churches," he said. These areas are still evacuating, and others may be cleared as well if the volcano continues to belch ash and lava.

Here's some images of the area. The ash covered all the plant life in the area, effectively suffocating it. Farmers needed to hose down their chili crops to ensure they survive.

AP Photo: Binsar Bakkara

Before the evacuation, students went about their morning routines. Here they take part in morning exercises at a school at Berastepu village, as Mount Sinabung spews ash in the background.

REUTERS: Tarmizy Harva

School children walk on a road between fields covered with ash from the eruption. Ash from the volcano covered the area.

AP Photo: Binsar Bakkara

Mount Sinabung spews ash in this picture taken from a school at Tiga Pancur village in Karo district.

REUTERS: YT Haryono

Mount Sinabung spews ash as it is pictured from Simpang Empat village.

REUTERS: Roni Bintang

Lightning strikes as Mount Sinabung volcano spews ash and hot lava, at Simpang Empat village.

REUTERS: YT Haryono

A man washes volcanic ash spewed from Mount Sinabung from the roof of his vehicle in Kutagugung village.

REUTERS: Tarmizy Harva

Humans aren't the only ones impacted by an ash-covered town. Here, a kitten sits on the roof of a house that is covered with volcanic ash.

AP Photo: Binsar Bakkara

A dog sits on ash covered rocks at Mardingding village.

REUTERS: YT Haryono

Students walks between chili trees covered by ash from Sinabung Mountain as they return home at Kuta Rakyat village.

REUTERS: Roni Bintang

The ash from Sinabung volcano covers trees and houses at Mardingding village.

REUTERS: Roni Bintang

Villagers walk on a road covered with volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Sinabung in Naman Teran.

AP Photo: Binsar Bakkara