REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- As many as 1,293 residents were displaced and taking refugee following Mount Sinabung eruption on Sunday, spokesperson of the Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) of North Sumatra said on Sunday.

Executive Head of North Sumatra's BPBD Asren Nasution said the refugees were from two villages around the active volcano in Karo Regency, namely the Mardinding Village (891 refugees) and Suka Meriah Village (402 refugees).

The displaced villagers are now taking refuge in a local Batak Karo Protestant Church and Payung Masjid (Mosque), located not far from the two villages.

The BPBD will distribute logistics and food for the refugees.

The Agency had also reported the current situation of the erupting Mount Sinabung and its mitigation to the North Sumatra's Governor Gatot Pujo Nugroho.

The Mount Sinabung's status had been increased to alert III level following an eruption on Sunday at 1:26 a.m local time.

The Mount spewed volcanic smoke reaching a height up to 7,000 meters toward the west direction.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency's urged people who live near the mount to avoid activity within a radius of three kilometers from the crater.

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