Soputan erupts on Sunday

MANADO, North Sulawesi: Thick smoke and ash spewed out of Mount Soputan on Sunday morning, reaching as high as 1,000 meters, with nearby residents alert for possible explosions.

Jemmy Runtuwene, a volcanologist in Minahasa, said that the volcanic activities in the mountain escalated on Saturday night and created clouds and dust around the mountain's peak.

Jemmy said that the dust blew to the east side, showering several villages, in particular Langowan, Tomohon, and Sawangan.

Residents near the mountain had been alerted since October about the escalating volcanic activity in the 1,700 meter high volcano and were urged to avoid any activities around it. -- JP