Thousands of Indonesians are spending the night in emergency shelters after fleeing an erupting volcano on the island of Sumatra. Officials issued a red alert after Mount Sinabung began to spew lava. Smoke and ash reportedly shot 1,500 m into the air. Witnesses said, they could see the lava from several miles away. Mount Sinabung, about 60 kilometres south-west of Sumatra's main city Medan, has not erupted for 400 years. Officials from the Red Cross told the BBC that more than 19,000 people were being moved from the slopes of Mount Sinabung and surrounding areas.Ash and acrid smoke from the volcano have blanketed villages and crops. Local people arriving at refuge centres were covered in grey ash, many had their faces covered. At least one person is reported to have died from breathing problems.