Just recently, an Indonesian volcano erupted. This has caused some 21,000 people to be evacuated as ash continue to be spread for miles around. Of course, this is also affecting aircraft, as they are being diverted away from the area.

Right now big ash clouds are being moved cross Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra. Thousands of villagers that live on the mountain slopes are being forced to head to emergency shelters and churches. Homes and fields are currently being covered in a think blanket of heavy gray soot. This is the same stuff, when airborne, that can clog up airplane engines.

For the people that have not been keeping up with this volcano, which appears to be just about everyone, it last erupted in 1600. Observers do not know the eruption pattern of this volcano. In fact, they went on to admit this week that this is one o the volcanoes that is not monitored very closely. However, it is now very likely, after this eruption, that it will be monitored a lot more closely.

So far the eruption has resulted in two deaths. One has been due to breathing problems and the other was due to a heart attack. Two other people are suffering injuries in road accidents. Just like other volcanoes along the Sumatra fault line, this volcano has the potential to be very destructive. It sits on an area where the Eurasian and Pacific tectonic plates mash against each other. If a lager blast is to take place, then it has the potential to obscure visibility. This will cause more flights to be diverted away from the area.