Indonesia closes airport due to volcanic eruption

Indonesia was forced to close a domestic airport in the east of the country yesterday after a volcano erupted, spewing ash 2,000m into the sky.

Gamalama volcano, located on Ternate island in North Maluku province, "waked up" on the evening of December 4 and forced the closure of an airport in the nearby town of Ternate, said Indonesian Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan.

Gamalama volcano erupted on December 5. AFP

“It is a safety measure. Volcanic ash can pose a threat to aircraft. If there is no further eruption, the airport can be reopened soon,” Ervan said.

The 1,715m-high volcano caused panic among locals when it erupted, said Darno Lamane, a scientist monitoring the mountain.

“It erupted about 2,000 meters into the sky. There were no reports of casualties but people were momentarily panicked, screaming as they ran out of their houses,” Mr. Lamane said.

“The situation has stabilized and many people have returned home. We will continue to monitor the volcano’s activity,” the scientist said.

According to Mr. Lamane, the Gamalama volcano last erupted in 2003 and there were no casualties.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” where continental plates collide, causing frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes.

Indonesia has 129 active volcanoes, including 21 on the island of Java.

According to Dan Tri