Powerful eruption at Sinabung volcano, ash to 16.7 km (55 000 feet), Indonesia

A new high-level eruption started at Indonesian Mount Sinabung around 09:28 UTC on June 9, 2019. The Aviation Color Code is Red.

According to the Darwin VAAC, volcanic ash is rising up to 16.7 km (55 000 feet) above sea level at 10:05 UTC, moving west. "Webcam imagery indicates ash-rich eruption. Volcanic ash height and movement based on multispectral satellite imagery and EC model guidance."

The Aviation Color Code is Red.

Pyroclastic flows descended southeast and south of the crater up to 3.4 km (2.1 miles) and 3 km (1.8 miles), respectively.

There are no reports of damages or casualty.

Geological summary

Gunung Sinabung is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano with many lava flows on its flanks. The migration of summit vents along a N-S line gives the summit crater complex an elongated form. The youngest crater of this conical, 2 460-m-high (8 070 feet) andesitic-to-dacitic volcano is at the southern end of the four overlapping summit craters.

An unconfirmed eruption was noted in 1881, and solfataric activity was seen at the summit and upper flanks in 1912.

No confirmed historical eruptions were recorded prior to explosive eruptions during August - September 2010 that produced ash plumes to 5 km (16 404 feet) above the summit. (GVP)

Featured image: Mount Sinabung erupting on June 9, 2019. Credit: PVMBG