The eruption of Mount Soputan, on the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi, came just days after a 7.5-magnitude earthquake and tsunami struck central Sulawesi.

The eruption spewed ash 19,700 feet (6,000 meters) into the sky.

Scientists have not yet determined whether the eruption was directly triggered by the earthquake. However, some volcanologists suspect it was.

In the meantime, soldiers and other forces have been deployed to the stricken port city of Palu to guard key infrastructure, fuel depots and the airport to prevent looting.

Soputan is one of the island’s most active volcanoes. It last erupted in 2008.

Just hours prior to the eruption, authorities had issued a statement that both thermal and seismic activity at the volcano had increased in recent weeks.

https://www.sciencealert.com/volcano-erupts-indonesia-just-days-after-devastating-earthquake-tsunami-soputan-sulawesi?perpetual=yes&limitstart=1