Indonesia's tallest volcano, erupts

Mount Semeru, Indonesia's tallest volcano, erupted on the 6th March 2009, covering a nearby town with black dust. The volcano erupted shortly after midnight; however, no evacuation was ordered for the town of Lumajang, as it did not pose a significant risk for residents of the town, which is located approximately 22 mi/35 km southeast of the volcano. In addition to the ash, which is said to be causing minimal respiratory problems for the locals, officials are closely watching for signs of heat clouds, which are lethal. There have been no reports of the aviation sector being affected by the recent eruption.