Indonesia volcano toll rises to seven

Seven people have been killed after a volcano in western Indonesia erupted, blasting clouds of volcanic three kilometres ash into the sky.

Dead animals are covered in dust after hot clouds of ash erupted from Mount Sinabung, in Tanah Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia. (AP) Source: AP

The death toll in the eruption of a volcano in western Indonesia has risen to seven with two other people in critical condition.

Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra province blasted volcanic ash as high as 3km into the sky on Saturday, said National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho. He said ash tumbled down the slopes as far as 4.5km westward into a river.

All the victims of the eruption were working on their farms in the village of Gamber, about 4km away from the slope, or within the danger area.

Photos taken on Sunday showed evidence of pyroclastic flows - a fast-moving cloud of hot volcanic gases, rocks and ash - in the village. Dead and injured animals were lying on the ground, around them scorched homes and smoky vegetation. Soldiers were setting up roadblocks and people were carrying their belongings and leading farm animals to safety.

Nata Nail, an official at the local Disaster Management Agency, said a man died on Sunday at a hospital, leaving two other victims in critical condition.

Rescuers including soldiers, police, and personnel from disaster combating agencies, as well as volunteers and villagers, halted search operations around the area after they found there were no more victims or villagers inside the danger zone, Nail said.

Nugroho warned of more potential eruptions, with volcanic activity still high at the mountain.

Mount Sinabung had been dormant for four centuries before reviving in 2010, killing two people. An eruption in 2014 killed 16 people.