6,000 people were evacuated from Jakarta, Indonesia this weekend when a volcano spewed ash and rock over the city. Mount Sinabung, at an altitude of 8,530 feet, erupted early Sunday morning. Several people were taken to the hospital after experiencing difficulty breathing, said Jhonson Tarigan, a Spokeswoman of the Sinabung Disaster Control Agency.
Most of the evacuees were from six different villages, all within 3 kilometers of the mountain, said National Disaster Mitigation Agency Spokeswoman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. About eight shelters were set up, and authorities were able to distribute about 2,000 blankets and masks to those in need. So far no damage has been reported, though ash blankets many villages in North Sumatra.
The volcano had been dormant for three years, the last eruption having occurred in August 2010, killing 2 people.
