Indonesia raises aviation warnings after Sinabung volcano erupts
Indonesia on February 19 raised flight warnings around the Mount Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island to their highest level after it sent a towering plume of ash more than 7 kilometres into the air, its biggest eruption this year.
Indonesia on February 19 raised flight warnings around the Mount Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island to their highest level. (Photo: Reuters)
Hanoi (VNA) - Indonesiaon February 19 raised flight warnings around the Mount Sinabung volcano onSumatra island to their highest level after it sent a towering plume of ashmore than 7 kilometres into the air, its biggest eruption this year.
The Bureau of Meteorology'sVolcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VACC), in Australia's northern city of Darwin,issued maps showing an ash cloud heading in three directions from Sinabung, tothe north, northwest and south-southeast.
Indonesian authorities alsoupgraded its Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) to red, its highestwarning, and said the ash-cloud top had reached 7,276 metres.
Sinabung is about 75 km southwestof Kualanamu International Airport in Medan.
Nur Isnin Istianto, head of theregional airport authority, said Kutacane airport in Aceh province had beenclosed, but the wind direction allowed Kualanamu, Meulaboh and Silangitairports to remain open.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, aspokesman for Indonesia's Disaster Agency, said the eruption began on February19 morning, accompanied by multiple earthquakes and showering surroundingvillages with small rocks.
In five districts it became darkwith a visibility of about 5 metres, he said.
No casualties were reported, butthe agency urged the public to stay out of a 7-km exclusion zone around thecrater, and watch for further warnings, which could cover floods.
Areas around the crater of thevolcano, located about 1,900 km northwest of the capital of Jakarta have been off-limitsfor several years because of frequent volcanic activity.-VNA
VNA
Related News
Thousands of local people living near the Agung volcano on Indonesia’s resort island of Bali fled on November 22 as there are signs of volcanic eruption for the first time in more than 50 years.
Thousands of tourists are stuck on Bali island in Indonesia as flights were cancelled after the Agung volcano eruption, sending thick ash into the sky for the second time in a week.
The Sinabung volcano in Indonesia's North Sumatra province erupted on December 18, spewing columns of smoke and ash clouds.
Indonesia's Sinabung volcano in northern Sumatra province erupted again on December 27.
The Agung volcano in Bali resort island of Indonesia spew an ash column of 2,500m to the sky in its latest eruption on January 11.
Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid announced on July 14 that the new strategy marks a shift from focusing primarily on blocking gambling websites to a more comprehensive approach targeting the entire criminal ecosystem.
The adjustments aim to ensure that entry facilitation measures for foreign visitors reflect current circumstances while closing security loopholes, preventing misuse, and reducing overlapping entitlements under the principle of “one country, one entitlement”.
Indonesian Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said Finland's advanced technological capabilities make it a suitable partner for cybersecurity cooperation.
The extension of work permits will allow the foreign workers to complete the necessary legal procedures while helping businesses maintain a stable workforce as many sectors of the Thai economy continue to rely heavily on foreign labour.
Singapore's economy grew 5.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2026, slowing from the previous quarter.
The Department of Foreign Trade of Thailand has asked importers and coconut milk producers to temporarily reduce imports and give priority to purchasing domestic coconuts.
According to S&P, Indonesia's economic fundamentals remain solid thanks to prudent fiscal and monetary policies, political stability, relatively low public debt compared with other countries in the same rating category, and positive medium-term growth prospects.
Singapore's core inflation remained unchanged at 1.4% in May from the previous month. However, economists warned that persistently high energy prices could continue to push up production and transportation costs, as well as the prices of imported goods, posing risks to the country's economic growth outlook.
Malaysian authorities have warned that the ASEAN region could see conditions similar to those during the extreme 1997–1998 El Nino event, which triggered severe regional haze and acute water shortages across Southeast Asia.
Initial evaluations indicated that the transition from B40 to B50 proceeded smoothly, without disrupting railway operations or public services.
According to the minister of tourism and sports, from 2026 onwards, Thailand will shift its development focus from prioritising quantity to attracting high-quality, high-spending tourists to create sustainable revenue streams.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has approved a preferential fuel price of 15,000 IDR (0.83 USD) per litre for fishing vessels with a gross tonnage of 30–200 GT.
The bureau’s investigation targeted the "All Game 248" gambling website, which allegedly accepted bets on the FIFA World Cup 2026 and had been operating for about 18 months. During the operation, codenamed "All Game End Game," authorities arrested 12 suspects, including a former local politician, and the seizure of assets worth more than 13 million THB (418,000 USD).
Indonesia's Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said the ministry is preparing a ministerial decree to establish a Working Group for Integrated Orangutan Conservation in the Keraitan Landscape.
The report identified prolonged global supply chain disruptions, a stronger US dollar, rising political uncertainty ahead of a possible early general election, and the proposed expansion of the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI as the key risks.
The new Sadao Border Checkpoint, located in the Sadao Special Economic Development Zone, is Thailand's busiest land crossing by trade value, handling more than 471.5 billion THB (14 billion USD) in annual imports and exports and serving more than 6 million cross-border travellers each year.
Director General of Immigration Hendarsam Marantoko said the move forms part of a broader strategy to strengthen immigration management through digitalisation and enhanced screening of foreign nationals upon entry.
Speaking at a seminar in Kuala Lumpur on July 13, Economy Minister Akmal Nasrullah Mohd Nasir said Malaysia's electrical and electronics (E&E) exports rose 39.7% year-on-year to 382.9 billion MYR (95.7 billion USD) in the first five months of 2026, or 48.2% of the country's total exports.
According to Indonesia's Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the country imported about 936,000 tonnes of industrial salt containing at least 97% sodium chloride in the first five months of 2026, up 13.1% year-on-year.
The MoC aims to promote cooperation and information exchange on gas and electricity markets. It will also facilitate greater knowledge sharing on energy market surveillance approaches, regulation design, and system stabilisation measures.
Indonesia on February 19 raised flight warnings around the Mount Sinabung volcano on Sumatra island to their highest level. (Photo: Reuters)