Thousands evacuate as Mount Agung volcano erupts

The eruption was confirmed by the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the minor eruption began at about 5pm local time and the plume rose about 700 metres.

“Smoke is observed with medium pressure, with a thick grey colour and a maximum height of about 700m above the peak,” local authorities said.

Volcanologists say the eruption was caused by magma heating water, which is called a phreatic eruption, rather than a generally more dangerous eruption of magma itself, Mr Nugroho said.

Indonesia is home to around 130 volcanoes due to its position on the “Ring of Fire”, a belt of tectonic plate boundaries circling the Pacific Ocean where frequent seismic activity occurs.

Nearly 1,600 people died when Mount Agung last erupted in 1963./.