Several people were killed in an indonesian volcanic eruption

The sudden explosion surprised many local residents on Saturday, forcing thousands to flee.

Mount Semeru, the largest mountain on the island of Java, threw ash and hot gases at a distance of 12,000 meters causing people to flee in panic. Lava and other volcanic material ran down the sides of the mountains, destroying homes and infrastructure.

In an exciting video, apparently filmed with a mobile phone, a huge eruption cloud can be seen approaching, people fleeing from it.

In some places, a thick cloud of smoke covered all the sunlight and put communities in the dark.

– Suddenly everything turned dark, a bright afternoon turned into night. A roar was heard and the heat forced us to flee to the mosque, says Fatima, from the Korah Kubokan community located five kilometers from the crater.

The country’s disaster management authority, BNPB, says at least 13 people have died due to the outbreak. At least 98 people were said to have been injured.

Ten miners trapped during the volcano’s eruption have been rescued, according to BNPB.

Airlines have been urged to avoid flying over the affected area.