With tens of millions displaced by floods across Asia, earthquakes killing hundreds of thousands in Haiti and to a lesser extent in Tibet, famine sweeping across north west Africa and now Mount Sinabung on the Indonesian Island of Sumatra erupting for the first time in over four hundred years, one might be forgiven for concluding that we live on a planet ill at ease with itself.

Whilst some activity was noted on the volcano in 1912, the last known eruption took place in 1600. So far eighteen thousand people have been evacuated from the area around Mount Sinabung and scientists can merely watch and wait as there is no documentation to inform what may happen next given the length of time since the last eruption.

Only one death has been reported to date from respiratory failure whilst fleeing the volcanic ash, however thousands of masks have been issued and ash is settling up to 20km away on the land, damaging crops. The area is currently on high alert with this status unlikely to change for at least a week.

View Larger Map