A volcanic eruption on Indonesia's Mount Slamet is threatening about 24,000 people in seven villages within a six-kilometer radius of the crater on the mountain in central Java.
The Associated Press reported that ash has been landing in cities four kilometers away from Mount Slamet's peak since Thursday. The news agency said government officials have been making arrangements to evacuate residents from surrounding villages if volcanic activity continues.
The Jakarta Post reported that the volcano had been quiet before it started erupting during the dawn hours Wednesday, hurling ash and lava into the sky as forests on the north side of the mountain were razed.
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"The rumbles were loud and frightening and could be heard very clearly as far away as the city of Purwokerto," a resident of Dukuhwaluh village told the Post.
Mount Slamet last erupted in 2009. On March 10 the alert level was raised from Level 1, or normal, to Level 2, according to the Post. On Aug. 12, the alert level was increased again to Level 3 or be prepared.
The country's geological agency at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry announced in Purwokerto that the alert status remained at Level 3 and said there was no credible cause to raise the status to Level 4, the highest level.
Officials told the Post that a Level 4 alert would trigger mandatory evacuations in a protected radius.
"Residents can carry out their activities beyond the four-kilometer radius as (that distance) is considered safe and they should not panic, but remain vigilant," Indonesian officials said.
Indonesia has roughly about 130 active volcanos, according to the AP. Java also is Indonesia's most densely populated island with more than half of the country's 240 million people.
Mount Slamet is part of a system of volcanic mountains that run east to west through the central portion Java with peaks topping 10,000 feet. The peaks include Sindoro, Sumbing, and Merbabu along with Slamet.
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