Sinabung volcano causes extensive losses

Smoke spewing from the mountain blanketed Sinabung highway, seriously disrupting daily life.

According to local authorities, the mountain has erupted 32 times within June alone.

Head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNBP) Syamsul Maarif said on June 23 that the Indonesian government spent nearly 500,000 USD on search-and-rescue and evacuation in affected areas.

Since September 2013, BNPB has provided more than 10.6 million USD for Karo authorities and residents.

The evacuation is being accelerated. Currently, 112 houses have been built and another 370 are expected to accommodate the evacuees in late August.

Indonesia has about 130 active volcanoes. Last year, Sinabung volcano also claimed dozens of lives.

About 60km to the southwest off Medan city on Sumatra island, the 2,460-m Mount Sinabung has been back to the life since last September after being quiet for 400 years. It has erupted on and off since then, forcing 10,200 to evacuate to 10 shelter areas this June.