The volcano on Mount Sinabung in Western Indonesia started its latest bout of eruptions in September of 2013, while its explosions have kicked into high gear this week.
While many volcanic eruptions are one-time occurrences, the current crisis at Mount Sinabung has become notably more disturbing since Saturday, Jan. 5, when it erupted more than 100 times before the next morning. And officials say that these eruptions, which have displaced more than 22,000 citizens in the region from their homes since they started occurring sporadically in September, are likely to remain a problem.
"It still has a lot of energy, so it's expected to continue to erupt for some time," said disaster management agency spokesman Sutopo Nugroho in a report released by the Bangkok Post.
Nugroho also said that the Mount Sinabung volcano has erupted more than 20 times since Tuesday.
The danger zone surrounding the volcano has been extended in the area due to the gas, ash, and smoke spewing farther than expected since the September eruption- up to four miles from the volcano's mouth. Currently, most of the refugees who live in this danger zone, which is an advantageous place for farmers to live because of the rich soil in the area, are being housed at shelters and temporary evacuation centers located in neighboring towns. Many of the refugees' homes and crops have been devastated and are covered in volcanic dust.
As more people flee from the volcano's immediate area, the shelters put in place by the government have struggled to keep up with the refugees' needs. The Indonesian Social Ministry has pledged $2.6 billion in aid to satisfy the growing need for clean water and food, and the emergency status in the region has been extended to Jan. 18.
Volcanic smoke and ash from the Mount Sinabung volcano has killed a total of 11 people so far since the first recent eruption on Sept. 15 of last year, and health issues such as respiratory problems and skin and eye irritations persist.
Mount Sinabung belongs to the group of volcanoes along the coast of the Pacific Ocean known as the "Ring of Fire" because it is home to 75 percent of the world's volcanoes (active and dormant). The last time it erupted was in August of 2010, and that explosion lasted for 22 days. Before that, Mount Sinabung had been dormant for 400 years.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
