Located on Indonesia's main Java island, Merapi is one of Indonesia's 129 active volcanoes, which has regularly erupted since 1548. (Source: VNA)

Residents living around the slopes were asked to take precautionary measures for possible rains of ashes, the agency said in a statement.

A no-go zone has been declared at a 3-km radius from the crater, it said.
           
The agency also issued a volcano observatory notice for aviation (VONA) with the second highest level, orange code, meaning that the eruption endangers aviation, and planes are required to avoid airspace around the hot clouds.

Located on Indonesia's main Java island, Merapi is one of Indonesia's 129 active volcanoes, which has regularly erupted since 1548. The 2,930-metre volcano has spewed ashes for 13 times since September last year.

During its eruptions from October to November 2010, a total of 353 people were killed and about 350,000 others were displaced.

Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation, is prone to volcanic activities and earthquakes as it lies along the "Pacific Ring of Fire". VNA