Over 11,000 people fled their homes after Mount Ruang exploded, spewing flames and red smoke into a lightning-filled sky.

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Incredible images show the mile-long stream of burning ash and smoke unfurling from the Indonesia volcano.

Officials fear part of it could collapse after the massive eruption, sparking a tsunami.

Today they warned that a tidal wave could reach up to 25 metres high on the west side of remote Tagulandang Island.

Alert levels were raised from three to four – the highest tier – amid fears of the huge natural disaster.

The 725 metre-high volcano first erupted on Tuesday night around 9.45pm before four more times on Wednesday.

Those at risk in nearby areas have been evacuated to the closest city by rubber boats on six-hour trips.

In 1871 part of Mount Ruang collapsed into the sea after an eruption and sparked a tsunami.

Ruang, a stratovolcano, is one of the most active in the Ring of Fire region – a tectonic belt of volcanoes and earthquakes in the Pacific Ocean.

Hendra Gunawan, chief of Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, said today the “visual activity and seismicity” has significantly shot up since Tuesday.

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