The eruption of Mount Merapi in Indonesia has led to the evacuation of thousands of people. Video

The Merapi volcano erupted in Indonesia on Sunday, January 21. Clouds of gas, ash, and lava flowing down the slopes of the mountain on the island of Java led to the need to evacuate thousands of people.

According to ABC News, settlements within a radius of at least 2 kilometers from the eruption were affected. Agus Budi Santoso, head of the Indonesian Center for Research and Development in Geological Disaster Protection Technologies, also added that the smoke column rose 100 meters into the air.

Ash emissions covered several nearby villages, but fortunately, no one was injured.

Videos of the eruption were posted online, where eyewitnesses showed how a cloud of ash on gas spread around the mountain.

Merapi is the most active of more than 120 volcanoes across the country. It stands at 2,910 meters and is the highest volcano on the island of Java.

Historians believe that the largest eruption of Merapi occurred in 1672, when about 10,000 people died. The last major eruption occurred in 2020. Then 4 people died.

Merapi is one of the most active volcanoes in the world, having erupted more than 60 times over the past 500 years. Despite this, it remains a tourist destination, although the country's authorities issue warnings to travelers when seismic activity leads volcanologists to suspect potential danger.