Borobudur closed due to volcanic ash rain from Mount Kelud

The world's biggest Buddhist temple, Borobudur, was closed here on Friday due to volcanic ash rain spewed from Mount Kelud in Kediri, East Java, Indonesia's Antara news agency reported.

"I was on my way to Borobudur, the ash was quite thick, visibility range dips around seven metres," President of PT Taman Wisata Candi Borobudur, Prambanan, and Ratu Boko Laily Prihatiningtyas said on Friday.

The temple's authority, after coordinating with the Borobudur Conservation Office, decided to close the temple from tourism activity as the temple, built in the eighth century during the Syailendran Dynasty, is covered by volcanic ash from Mount Kelud.

The temple is closed for safety measure as the volcanic ash caused the temple's floor slippery.

Meanwhile Head of Borobudur Conservation Office, Marsis Sutopo, has instructed a preservation measure for Borobudur Temple due to Kelud's volcanic ash.

The volcanic ash from Kelud reached the temple around 3 am local time following the eruption of Mount Kelud on Thursday night, which produced molten lava and black smoke.

The molten lava was seen clearly from the sub-district of Talun, in Blitar,East Java, around 15-20 kilometres from the mountain.

Antara reported that people were running from their homes and some hitting electricity poles to alert others that the mountain had erupted since 10.56pm local time as reported.