Jakarta, Sept. 2 -- Indonesia's disaster agency said 615 residents had been evacuated to shelters as authorities sought to protect communities in North Sumatra's Karo District from Mount Sinabung's eruption.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB)'s Acting Head of Disaster Data, Information, and Communications, Berton SP Panjaitan, said here Wednesday that the evacuation followed heightened volcanic activity after a major eruption earlier this week.

"Preliminary data show that about 211 families, or 615 residents of Kuta Tengah Village, are now at the emergency response shelter in Sukatepu Village," he said.

Berton said evacuations prioritized residents living near danger zones, including Kuta Tengah and Payung Villages, which a...