Sangeang Api (Sang Hyang Api), an active volcano complex on the island of Sangeang in Lesser Sunda Islands, Indonesia explosively erupt on Friday, May 30, 2014 at 3:15 pm local time. The plume is estimated to be ~2-3 km high and disperse to the southeast. The island is an uninhabited island, although people cultivate the land for agriculture at the slope of the volcano, but they have been told to evacuate the island prior to the eruption. The authorities had put the volcano on high alert since since June 2013. There are no fatalities reported so far. Residents of Bima and Flores reported to felt the shock-wave suggesting that the eruption is a large explosive event.
The 1,949 m (6,394 ft) volcano is located northeast of Sumbawa in the Flores Sea, and is 13 km wide with an area of 153 km2. It has produced numerous VEI 2-3 explosive eruptions over the past century. The first recorded eruption was in 1518. At least seventeen eruptions has been recorded ever since. The last eruption period was in December 2012. The main crater of the volcano is occupied by a volcanic dome producing weak steam plumes (~10 meters). Mix of deep and shallow seismicity were recorded over the past few years.
Update (May 31, 9:33am, UTC+7): another series of eruptions occurs on 00:50, 3:20 and 07:00 on the morning of May 31. The plume height is not as high as the main eruption. The 7am eruption reached 2km height and dispersed to the southeast. The ashes from the eruptions is reported to reach Australia, causing Darwin airport to shuts and creating flight chaos across Australia.
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| The plume captured by professional photographer Sofyan Efendi during a commercial flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo published in Daily Mail |
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| The plume captured by professional photographer Sofyan Efendi during a commercial flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo published in Daily Mail |
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| The plume captured by professional photographer Sofyan Efendi during a commercial flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo published in Daily Mail |
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| The plume captured by professional photographer Sofyan Efendi during a commercial flight from Bali to Labuan Bajo published in Daily Mail |
