JAKARTA, May 17 — Indonesian authorities have advised the public to stay away from high-risk areas around Mount Semeru after the volcano erupted several times over the weekend.

The volcano erupted three times on Sunday morning with ash columns reaching 700 metres above the summit.

On Saturday it erupted twice within about 90 minutes, with the highest ash column rising up to 1,000 metres into the sky, according to Antara news agency citing Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).

It urged public not to carry out any activities within 13 kilometres southeast of the summit along Besuk Kobokan, a river channel that is prone to lava flows and hot clouds.

Residents and visitors were also prohibited from activities within a five-kilometre radius of the crater due to the risk of incandescent rock ejections. — Bernama