Indonesia volcano erupts: 100,000 flee Mount Kelud eruption that could be heard 200km away

Source: The Independent



A major volcanic eruption in Indonesia shrouded a large swath of the country's most heavily populated island in ash on Friday, triggering the evacuation of more than 100,000 people and the closure of three international airports after killing two people.

The explosive overnight eruption of Java island's Mount Kelud could be heard up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) away, Indonesia's disaster agency said.

The ash cloud reached 30 kilometers (18 miles) into the atmosphere and fell to earth in towns and cities across the region, including Surabaya, Indonesia's second-largest city, and even farther afield in Yogyakarta, where motorists switched on headlights in daylight.

Kediri, a normally bustling town about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the mountain, was largely deserted as residents stayed indoors to avoid the choking ash.

Read more: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/indonesia-volcano-erupts-100000-flee-mount-kelud-eruption-that-could-be-heard-200km-away-9127527.html