A volcano in Indonesia erupted Saturday, killing at least seven people and severely burning two more.

>> Read more trending stories  

Mount Sinabung erupted just before 5 p.m. local time on the island of Sumatra, throwing burning hot clouds of ash and rock as high as two miles into the air. That pyroclastic flow then descended onto the area nearby.

The volcano had been dormant for centuries until it blew in 2010. Since then, it's been highly active and the government declared a danger zone around the mountain.

But Indonesian officials said residents still sometimes go near Mount Sinabung to farm. They suspect that's what the victims were doing when it erupted.

Emergency crews attempted to locate survivors, but the volcano continued heaving hot ash, making rescue attempts difficult.

Mount Sinabung has killed at least 25 and displaced tens of thousands of residents since becoming active in 2010.

About the Author

Featured

Managing Partner at Atlantica Properties, Darion Dunn (center) talks with Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens during a tour following the ribbon cutting of Waterworks Village as part of the third phase of the city’s Rapid Housing Initiative on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025.
(Miguel Martinez/AJC)

Credit: Miguel Martinez-Jimenez