Eruption blankets Java in ash

Dwi Oblo/Reuters

A housing complex is seen covered with ash from Mount Kelud, in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Feb. 14, 2014.

The Mount Kelud volcano erupted late on Thursday night on the heavily populated Indonesian island of Java, sending a huge plume of ash and sand 10 miles into the air and forcing the closure of three airports.

Mount Kelud is 87 miles south of Indonesia's second biggest city Surabaya, a major industrial center. The cloud from the eruption was seen as far as 5.5 miles to the west, and forced the shutdown of airports at Surabaya and the cities of Yogyakarta and Solo.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Ash from Mount Kelud covers a Garuda Indonesia airplane at Adi Sucipto airport in Yogyakarta, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

igit Pamungkas/Reuters

Ash raises from Mount Kelud's eruption, as seen from Sugih Waras village, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Soldiers and volunteers cover the stupas of Borobudur Buddhist temple with plastic sheets to prevent ash from Mount Kelud from damaging them, at Mungkid village in Magelang, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

A villager who was evacuated from her home due to Mount Kelud's eruptions, holds her daughter as she sleeps at a temporary shelter in Sumber Agung village, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A villager walks near houses covered by ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud at Ngantang village in Malang, Feb. 16, 2014.

More than 56,000 people were forced to flee their homes and four people were killed when Mount Kelud erupted late on Thursday in East Java province, coating cities and airports as far as 310 miles away in a layer of ash and stranding thousands of passengers.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A bedroom sits covered in ash from the eruptions of Mount Kelud, in Pandansari village, Feb. 16, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A man covered with ash from Mount Kelud is seen on his motorcycle in Yogyakarta, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A man wears a mask as he rides a becak, a kind of rickshaw, on a road covered with ash from Mount Kelud, in Yogyakarta, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

Villagers evacuated from their homes due to Mount Kelud's eruptions, sleep on the floor at a temporary shelter at Sumber Agung village in Kediri, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Reuters

A man covers his face while riding a bicycle on a road covered with from Mount Kelud, in Solo, Feb. 14, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Police officers remove ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud in the tarmac of Adi Sucipto airport in Yogyakarta, Feb. 15, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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Workers remove ash from Mount Kelud eruption from the tail wings of a Citilink airplane in the tarmac of Adi Sucipto airport in Yogyakarta, Feb. 15, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A villager clears ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud from the roof of his home at Ngantang village in Malang, Indonesia's East Java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Sigit Pamungkas/Reuters

An aerial view of Pandansari village is seen from a mosque covered with ash from the eruption of Mount Kelud in Malang, Indonesia's East Java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

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A child sleeps at a temporary shelter, with a balloon tied to his arm, during an eruption from Mount Kelud at Pare village in Kediri, Indonesia's East java province, Feb. 16, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Aman Rochman/AFP/Getty Images

An Indonesian resident clears a roof damaged by heavy ashfall, following the eruption of Mount Kelud, Feb.13, 2014.

Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images

A villager evacuates cows from an area covered in ash by the eruptions of Mount Kelud in Pandansari village, Feb. 16, 2014.