Tavurvur volcano, which is located in Papua New Guinea, has erupted today, shooting a cloud of smoke and ash into the air, while communities close to the volcano have been evacuated by the authorities.

According to a warning issued by the Australian government against travelling to the area, the residents of the town of Rabaul were advised to remain indoors to avoid falling ash.

The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre in Darwin is monitoring the ash cloud from Tavurcur which is slowly drifting southwest. More specifically, the news site PNGloop reported that ash from the volcano is blowing toward the north coast of the island.

It should be noted that the 688-metre volcano has erupted several times before. The most notable eruption occurred 20 years ago: In 1994, major eruptions at both Tavurvur and nearby Mount Vulcan destroyed much of Rabaul. Fortunately the death toll was minimal due to the quick evacuation.