A volcanic eruption occurred in Papua New Guinea last Friday spewing rocks and ash into the air and forcing local communities to evacuate, reports said.

Mount Tavurvur sent high up in the air over the South Pacific Island and caused some international flights to divert their routes.

According to a bulletin from the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory, Mount Tavurvur erupted in East New Britain Island just hours before dawn. 

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Authorities evacuated several communities within the danger area around the volcano in the Rabaul district, according to a statement from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Rabaul town residents were asked to remain indoors to avoid falling ash and volcanic debris, according to the statement.

A local resident told the Australian Broadcast Corp. that the volcano was already emitting steam and there was an occasional booming sound coming from the volcano before the eruption. Half an inch of ash covered the whole surrounding area after in went off.

According to the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory, the eruption started slow and then developed into a Strombolian level eruption which is a low level one, accompanied with incandescent projections and explosion noises with a loud roaring, rumbling noise.

An official from the center also confirmed that the eruption sent projectiles of hot ash and rock up to 60,000 feet followed by two hours of high-level eruption.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or casualties.

Qantas Airways said that the ash cloud from the volcano had prompted some alterations in their flight paths between Sydney and Tokyo and Sydney to Shanghai.

In 1994, Mount Tavurvur destroyed the town of Rabaul when it erupted simultaneaously with nearby Mount Vulcan. It is one of the most active volcanoes in the region.  

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