Two volcanoes are erupting in Indonesia

 Sylvie Claire / Mars 2, 2021

Merapi, one of the world's most active volcanoes, located on the island of Java in Indonesia, continues to erupt, while Sinabung, on the island of Sumatra, spews clouds of ash and smoke up to five kilometers high, according to the Indonesian Geological Survey. Meanwhile, a pyroclastic cloud - a high-temperature mixture of gas, ash and rock - is hurtling down the slopes of Sinabung.

However, no casualties or property damage were reported. Sinabung, which rises to 2,460 meters above sea level, is located about 50 kilometers southwest of the provincial capital Medan. Since 2010 it has erupted regularly, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. More than 20 people lost their lives in violent eruptions in 2014 and 2016.

The Merapi volcano, which erupted at the end of January, continues to rumble. It spews ash and rocks, which have spread up to two kilometers on the southwestern flank of the conical volcano, authorities said. Merapi, nearly 3,000 meters high, is Indonesia's most active volcano and is located about 35 kilometers north of the city of Yogyakarta. Merapi's last major eruption was in 2010. It killed more than 300 people and forced more than 280,000 people to evacuate.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the friction of tectonic plates causes frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The Southeast Asian archipelago has nearly 130 active volcanoes.