Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted early on Tuesday, throwing a spectacular column of ash into the sky.

Vulcanologists said 13 separate blasts had been recorded, belching debris up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) above the island of Sumatra.

Authorities said there was no immediate danger to life or property. A 5-kilometer (roughly 3-mile) ring around the volcano has been left unoccupied over recent years.

There has been no reported flight disruption, and no evacuation orders have been issued.

It is believed that a large lava dome beneath the surface could burst at any time, causing a large avalanche of hot clouds.

The volcano was dormant for centuries before returning to life in 2010, when an eruption killed two people. It erupted again in 2013 and has remained highly active since. An eruption in 2014 killed at least 16 people, while seven died in a 2016 blast.

There are nearly 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia, which sits on the "Ring of Fire" — a belt of tectonic plate boundaries that circles the Pacific Ocean.

rc/msh (AFP, AP)