The mountain in the heart of Indonesia's Java Island has been shooting out streams of lava and massive clouds of hot ash and gas for more than a month, alarming residents and forcing the evacuation of thousands of people from its slopes.
Its alert status was downgraded Tuesday to the second-highest level, meaning the volcano is still potentially dangerous, but that villagers can return home, said government scientist Yousana Siagian.
The mountain's lava dome swelled after a powerful May 28 earthquake, raising concerns it could collapse, sending scalding clouds of fast-moving gas, rocks and debris into populated areas, the AP reports.
But a huge superheated cloud, the largest this year, brought down a section of the dome on Friday and created a new crater, relieving some of the pressure.
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