Indonesian authorities raised the warning on Semeru volcano to the highest level on Sunday after an eruption spewed a column of ash high into the air, the country’s vulcanology agency said.

The evacuation of people, including children and seniors, living near the volcano in East Java province had also begun, said Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB.

The eruption on the eastern part of Java island, some 640 km (400 miles) east of the capital Jakarta, follows a series of earthquakes on the west of the island, including one last month that killed more than 300 people.

Indonesia’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, PVMBG, raised the level of volcanic activity to IV from III, its chief said in a text message.

With the raised alert level, authorities warned residents not to conduct any activities within 8 km (5 miles) of Semeru’s eruption center, PVMBG said.

Some residents nearby have evacuated independently to safer buildings like mosques and schools, according to a statement from the regional government of Lumajang, where Semeru is located.

The regional administration banned activities near the volcano, including the movement of sand trucks, as they could affect the evacuation process.

“Most of the road accesses have been closed since this morning. Now it’s raining volcanic ash and it has covered the view of the mountain,” Bayu Deny Alfianto, a local volunteer told Reuters by phone.

Read more: Reuters