T

he continuing eruptions of Mount Sinabung caused a forest fire in Karo regency, North Sumatra, and forced the cancelation of a flight at Kuala Namu International Airport in Medan on Thursday.

Forested areas along the Lau Borus River in Berastepu village were reportedly destroyed by pyroclastic flow during eruptions early Thursday. No casualties were reported, but the eruptions caused anxiety among residents living around the volcano.

Mt Sinabung Observation Station head Armen Putra said volcanic activities remained high and further eruptions were expected.

'€œThe scale of eruptions is rising. Further eruptions should be anticipated, with uncertain intensity,'€ Armen told The Jakarta Post.

He added that eruption graphics from the past several months showed that the level of volcanic activities tended to rise.

Armen gave as an example Thursday morning'€™s first eruption, which was the biggest in two weeks.

Mt Sinabung initially erupted at 1:39 a.m. on Thursday, followed by eruptions at 2:32 a.m., 2:41 a.m., 3:07 a.m. and 3:13 a.m. The pyroclastic flows extended 3.5 kilometers south.

However, 30 minutes later the volcano erupted twice more, with two minutes between each eruption, and discharged pyroclastic clouds that spread as far as 4.5 km south.

'€œThe last two eruptions were followed by a very loud rumble. The pyroclastic flow destroyed forested areas along the Lau Borus River,'€ said Armen, who observed the eruptions until 8:30 a.m., after which their intensity decreased.

Separately, the Karo Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Affairs head, Baron Kaban, said the regency administration remained unclear on the level of damage caused by the eruption early on Thursday as the affected areas had been closed off and declared danger zones.

However, he said that judging from several photos shown to him, a number of huts had been flattened and a fire had broken out.

Baron said besides the fire, the eruption also resulted in three districts located on the western side of the volcano '€” Tiganderket, Payung and Kutabuluh '€” being covered in ash.

'€œThe three districts are covered in very thick ash that is harmful to people'€™s health and motorists,'€ Baron told the Post in Mardinding village on Thursday noon.

Baron said the Karo regency administration had deployed two fire trucks to clean areas covered in ash.

Asam Sembiring, a resident of Temburun village in Tiganderket district, said volcanic ash still covered her village as of Thursday noon.

The 51-year-old housewife said the ash was thick and disrupted people'€™s activities.

'€œThe situation is terrible. We can'€™t leave our homes due to the very thick volcanic ash,'€ said Sembiring, adding that the village'€™s entire population was forced to wear masks to engage in outdoor activities.

Meanwhile, a Jetstar airliner destined for Singapore was forced to cancel takeoff from Kuala Namu International Airport in Deli Serdang on Thursday because of the volcanic ash.

Kuala Namu Airport operational manager Mardiono said the volcanic ash had reached the airport and an outgoing flight had to be canceled.

'€œA Jetstar flight to Singapore, which should have departed at 11:30 a.m. was canceled because of the effects of the volcanic ash,'€ Mardiono said.

He added that passengers of the Jetstar flight were initially enraged by the cancellation but calmed down when promised they would be put on the same plane the next day.