Jakarta, Sept. 5 -- The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has urged residents of Karo District, North Sumatra, to immediately evacuate to safe areas following an increase in Mount Sinabung's alert status to Level III (Standby).

Berton SP Panjaitan, acting head of the BNPB's Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center, said on Saturday that the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the status following an eruption on Monday, Aug. 31, which spewed an ash column 3,500 meters above the peak.

According to observations from the Mount Sinabung monitoring post on Friday between 12:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. local time, thick white volcanic ash was seen rising 300 to 500 meters above the crater.

"Loc...