Volcano marks first big eruption in nearly eight months

Mount Sinabung spews volcanic material during an eruption in Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia, Tuesday, March 2, . The 2,600m-tall volcano is among more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which is prone to seismic upheaval due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. - AP Photo/Mukhsil Lubis

MOUNT Sinabung sent a cloud of hot ash as high as 5km in its first big eruption since August last year, the country’s volcanology centre said.

Mount Sinabung’s activity has increased since last year and the alert for the volcano in North Sumatra province has been placed at the second-highest level.