Sleeping giant erupts into life

AN INDONESIAN volcano, inactive for four centuries, erupted again yesterday, spewing ash over a mile into the air.

• Residents in North Sumatra look on in awe as Mount Sinabung spews a cloud of ash high into the air in the first eruption in four centuries Picture: Getty Images

Some domestic airliners had to be diverted because of poor visibility.

Many villagers living along the slopes of Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra wore masks as they packed their belongings and headed to emergency shelters, mosques and churches, said Andi Arief, a presidential adviser on disasters.

Sinabung last erupted in 1600, so observers don't know its eruption pattern and admitted they had not monitored it closely before it started rumbling days ago in the lead-up to Sunday's first, less-powerful blast.

Hours later, the alert was raised to the highest level.

Like other volcanoes along the Sumatra fault line, it has the potential to be very destructive.