Volcanic Ash Vapour Cloud ?

Video - Volcanic Ash Vapour Cloud

This photo was taken on Tuesday 3 June 2014, around 6.45 pm (Central Standard Time-Australia) in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

This was 3 days after the large volcanic eruption in Indonesia around Sat 31 May.
On the Saturday, all flights in and out of Darwin were grounded because the ash cloud was at its thickest.
At that time, in the evening, there was a strong smell of fireworks, and later on, a strong smell of burnt metal, but nothing that could really be seen in the sky (that I could see anyway).
But, three days later in the evening, I could smell more fireworks smell, my eyes were stinging, and breathing was becoming a little suffocating. So, I went outside to have a look, and all out to the NW in the direction of Indonesia, there were many vapour clouds coming this way, and I took a photo of this one directly above.

Is it a volcanic ash, vapour cloud? You be the judge :)

Sometimes I have smelt a faint wisp of sulphur or similar coming from Indonesia, but this is the first time that I've smelt or seen it this strong. And there is still a smell of ash in the air in the evenings (Fri 6).
Sometimes we get tremors here every now and then, sometimes strong enough to shake the house slightly, and I think there were a few minor ones here 2-3 nights ago.


(c) Katherine Stuart 2014

Dochas Books Film