A strong eruption occurred at the volcano this morning.
At about 06:28 local time, a large block-and-ash flow raced down through the Kali Boyong ravine on the southern flank. The pyroclastic flow created abundant grey ash plumes, known as phoenix clouds, a towering wall of ash separating from the pyroclastic flow as it tumbled down slope. From the available webcam images, hot avalanches were about to descend up to the edifice base, considering approx. 4 km from the summit.
Following a partial collapse of the lava dome in the summit area, a pyroclastic density current ensued as gas-poor, viscous magma continued to intrude into the dome. The accumulation of hot lava material within the dome renders it increasingly unstable.
Pyroclastic flows are deadly, turbulent hot avalanche of lava rock fragments of all sizes embedded in a mixture of turbulent gas and ash racing down slopes.