page_title: Mount Sinabung
section_title: 2010
hierarchical_section_title: Mount Sinabung / Eruptions / 2010
caption_attribution_description: Nederlands: foto. Gezicht op de vulkaan Sinabung
context_page_description: Mount Sinabung is a Pleistocene-to-Holocene stratovolcano of andesite and dacite in the Karo plateau of Karo Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 40 kilometres from the Lake Toba supervolcano. Many old lava flows are on its flanks and the last known eruption, before recent times, occurred 1200 years before present, between 740 - 880 CE. Solfataric activities were last observed at the summit in 1912; recent documented events include an eruption in the early hours of 29 August 2010 and eruptions in September and November 2013, January, February and October 2014. A pyroclastic flow in May 2016 killed seven people. Between 2013 and 2014, the alert for a major event was increased with no significant activity. On 2 June 2015, the alert was again increased, and on 26 June 2015, at least 10,000 people were evacuated, fearing a major eruption. The long eruption of Mount Sinabung is similar to that of Mount Unzen in Japan, which erupted for five years after lying dormant for 400 years. A major eruption began on 10 August 2020.
context_section_description: On 29 August 2010, the volcano experienced a minor eruption after several days of rumbling. Ash spewed into the atmosphere up to 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) high and lava was seen overflowing the crater. The volcano had been inactive for over four centuries, with the most recent eruption occurring in 1600. On 31 August 6,000 of the 30,000 villagers who had been evacuated returned to their homes. The volcano was assigned to category “B” In Indonesia, as it had been dormant for more than 400 years (volcanoes in category “A”, must be monitored frequently). The Indonesian Red Cross Society and the Health Ministry of Indonesia sent doctors and medicines to the region. The National Disaster Management Agency provided face masks and food to assist the evacuees.
  On Friday 3 September 2010, two more eruptions were noted. The first one happened at 4:45 a.m., local time, forcing more villagers to leave their houses – some of them had just returned the day before.  This eruption was the most intense so far, with ash spewed up into the atmosphere about 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) high.  Some hours before the eruption a warning had been issued through the volcanology agency, and most villagers were prepared to leave quickly. A second eruption occurred the same evening, around 6 p.m. The eruption came with earthquakes which could be noticed out to a 25.0 kilometres (15.5 mi) distance around the volcano.
  On Tuesday 7 September, Mount Sinabung erupted yet again, its biggest eruption yet since it had become active on 29 August 2010 and experts warned of more eruptions to come. Indonesia's chief vulcanologist, Surono, said "It was the biggest eruption yet and the sound was heard from 8 kilometres away. The smoke was 5,000 metres in the air".  Heavy rain mixed with the ash to form muddy coatings, a centimetre thick, on buildings and trees.  Electricity in one village was cut off, but there were no casualties.
caption: Mount Sinabung in 1940s
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