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Ten people have been injured after a volcano popular with tourists erupted today on Java, Indonesia's main island.

Sileri Crater at Dieng Plateau spewed cold lava, mud and ash up to 50 metres into the sky when it suddenly erupted at around 11.30am local time.

Around 17 visitors were gathered around the crater at the time and ten are receiving hospital treatment, National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho has confirmed.

Soldiers and police officers were rushed to the scene, while local residents and visitors were urged to evacuate the area in case of further eruptions.

(Image: @BNPB_Indonesia/Twitter)

Sileri is the most active and dangerous among some 10 craters at Dieng Plateau. Its last eruption was in 2009, when it unleashed volcanic materials up to 200m high and triggered the creation of three new craters.

Dieng Plateau, located in the Central Java province district of Banjarnegara, is a popular tourist attraction because of its cool climate and ninth-century Hindu temples.

It sits about 6,600ft above sea level and is a particular must-see for keen photographers due to the beautiful surrounding landscape.

(Image: @BNPB_Indonesia/Twitter)

(Image: Video Medsos/Youtube) (Image: Google Maps)

It's also popular with trekkers and it's possible to get near the edge of the crater via stairs.

Some 142 people were reportedly asphyxiated in 1979 when the volcano spewed gases.