A volcano on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi erupted on the morning of Wednesday, October 2, sending a thick column of ash as high as 4,000 metres into the sky.

The eruption of Mount Soputan comes just days after the 7.5-magnitude earthquake ad tsunami struck Palu, killing more than 1,300 in one of the country's deadliest natural disasters. Volcanic activity had been increasing in recent weeks, media reported.

Locals have been advised to stay away from the vicinity to avoid contact with ash and potential lava flows.

It is not known if the earthquake and volcanic eruption were related.