The deadly gas and ash spewed from Mount Sinabung may further increase the death toll (Creative Commons/Euclid vanderKroew)

The death included four high school students on a school trip and a local journalist, reported Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a National Emergency official. 

More than 30,000 were forced to evacuate from their home to temporary shelters, where they wore masks to protect against the deadly sulphuric gases and ashes.

According to BBC, the volcano spat out hot gas, ash and rocks 1.5 miles up in the air. Pyroclastic flow that was reportedly triggered from the impact of the eruption swallowed hundreds of villages located around the foot of the mountain. 

Despite the deterioration of the current volcanic activity, authorities reported that they are holding back at least 16,000 villagers from the foot of the mountain from returning to check the condition of their homes.

The heat from the eruption is hindering the rescue process. Thus, the exact degree of destruction still remains unclear. Official assumes that at the death count will rise once the search for survivors resumes.

Mount Sinabung is one of 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. It previously erupted in 2010 where at least two people were killed and 30,000 were forced to take refuge. Prior to the former eruption, the volcano has remained dormant for almost 400 years

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