JAKARTA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian authorities closed an airport in Aceh province on Saturday after Mount Sinabung volcano erupted in the neighboring North Sumatra province, a Transport Ministry official said.
Spokesman of Indonesian Transport Ministry Bambang Ervan told Xinhua that a NOTAM (notice to airmen) for closure of Alas Leuser airport was issued on Saturday.
"The closure is due to volcanic ash," the NOTAM said.
The shutdown began at 12:47 p.m. Jakarta time (0547 GMT), the spokesman said.
Mount Sinabung in Karo district spewed a column of volcanic ash and pyrolastic materials into the sky on Friday, according to the national disaster management agency.
Mount Sinabung is one of 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, an archipelagic nation home to 17,500 island.