Weatherman: Malaysia safe from Kelud volcano ash fallout

PETALING JAYA: Ash clouds from the Mount Kelud eruption in Java, Indonesia, will not reach Malaysia as the winds are blowing away.

“Since the winds are blowing from the north-easterly direction, it is not possible for the ashes to head our way,” the Meteorological Department's National Weather Centre director Muhammad Helmi Abdullah told The Star on Friday.

The volcano, which erupted on Thursday night, forced the closure of three airports in Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Solo due to reduced visibility and the dangers posed to the aircraft engines by the ash.

It was reported that the cloud from the eruption was seen as far as nine kilometres to the west.

Mount Kelud is situated 140km south of Surabaya.

About 200,000 people live within a 10km radius of Kelud, one of nearly 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia.