Explosive Volcano in Papua New Guinea

A major volcanic eruption has occurred in Papua New Guinea (PNG), prompting officials to evacuate some residents and establish a no-fly-zone over the affection region.

Sitting on the Pacific Ocean's infamous "Ring of Fire" Papua New Guinea is no stranger to volcanic eruption. Even so, this latest eruption is considered a significant event, with satellite imagery showing a plume of ash and smoke that stretches more than 11 miles into the air., according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Flights are already being re-routed around the ash, which is billowing out of Mount Tavurvur, part of the Rabaul caldera. Several flights to and from the island have already been suspended as the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre warns that commercial flights can be dangerously affected by stray ash, forcing emergency landings and millions of dollars in repairs.

Of course, ash is not the greatest concern for this particularly explosive volcano. People in the district of Rabaul have already begun to flee the region, fearing a repeat of an eruption that destroyed Rabaul town in 1994.

According to the BBC and the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the police have already moved into the area to help facilitate voluntary evacuation and to make sure looting does not occur.

This is the second volcano to be erupting this week, the first being Iceland's Bárðarbunga, which began to seep lava soon after midnight on Friday.

Mount Tavurvur, however, is far more violent than its Icelandic counterpart. While the Bárðarbunga eruption is so low-key that aviation warnings have already been rescinded, Tavurvur in the throes of exploding and superheated gases, launching rocks and tremendous sonic booms around its immediate area, damaging buildings and causing a fiery show.

To escape the ash and flying stone, Alice Edwards left Rabaul early Friday morning, speaking to Fairfax Media about her experience from the PNG airport.

"This is my first time I've experienced the eruption," she said, according to the Herald. "It's frightening."

No injuries or death have been reported.