A village is left abandoned after residents fled their homes as Mount Sinabung spews volcanic materials in Tanah Karo, North Sumatra, Indonesia,Wednesday, Sept 1, 2010. The first eruption of the volcano, which caught many scientists off guard, over the weekend was followed by a second, more powerful blast Monday that spewed soot and debris more than a mile into the air, leaving the region on high alert. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim).

A volcano’s loud grumble and high rising smoke in Indonesia left villagers fleeing for their lives.

On Monday, Aug. 30, 2010, Indonesia’s Volcano, Mount Sinabung, erupted after four centuries.

The blast of smoke and ash went rising into the air two km (1.5 meters) putting residents living nearby in a state of panic.

“I saw some hot pieces of volcanic rock come out and burn trees in the area,” vulcanologist Surono said.

A smell of sulphur pervaded the air as residents moved out of their homes to temporary shelters.

Officials at the site of the eruption said much of the movement is unnecessary.

“People have been evacuated from areas within a six km (four-mile) radius of the volcano,” Surono said. “Beyond six km it is safe, but there has still been a lot of panic among people here who don’t understand that.”

The eruptions are continuing and there is no set time on when the eruptions will end.

However, the chances of the volcanic dust heading toward neighboring countries is not very likely.

About 21,000 residents of Sinabung have evacuated from very large farming areas.

Many of them fled to Medan, Indonesia’s third largest city 30 miles northeast of Indonesia, trying not to breathe in the volcanic ash as they were holding cloths and handkerchiefs to their faces.

“It has the potential to damage people’s respiratory tracts, but in my lifetime of studying volcanoes I have never heard of anyone dying from inhaling volcanic ash,” Surono said.