Volcano erupts on Indonesian island hit by tsunami and earthquake

            

A volcano has erupted in central Indonesia just days after the area was hit by an earthquake and tsunami. Mount Soputan in North Sulawesi province spewed ash nearly 20,000ft into the sky.

The eruption status was raised from an alert to ‘standby’ 2.5 miles from the summit and up to four miles to the west-southwest.

Standby status means people should avoid the area nearest the volcano and have masks available in the event of ashfall.

 

Planes were warned to avoid approaching ash clouds as volcanic ash is hazardous for plane engines.

Soputan is on the northern part of Sulawesi island, which was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami on Friday.

The official death toll is currently at 1,234 but the figure is likely to be much higher as officials acknowledged scores of uncounted bodies could still be buried in collapsed buildings in Sigi and Balaroa.

Aid is slowly making its way into areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami, yet food, water, fuel and medicine is yet to reach some of the hardest-hit areas outside Palu, the largest city heavily damaged in Friday’s disaster.

Many roads were broken and split by the violent shaking or blocked by debris meaning communication and access to the area is limited.

The UN humanitarian office said ‘needs are vast’, with people urgently requiring shelter, clean water, food, fuel and emergency medical care.