Indonesian villagers living in the shadow of one of the world's most active volcanoes fled to safety Friday as Mount Merapi erupted, sending a cascade of ash and smoke some 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) into the sky. Officials have shuttered the city's international airport with two dozen flights cancelled following the eruption, which began around 7:30 am (1230 GMT). It was not clear how many residents living around Merapi had left for local shelters, but around 12,000 people live in its immediate vicinity.
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