This is the dramatic moment a group of Indonesian climbers was caught by surprise when the volcano they were ascending erupted on Friday.

Filmer Shopan Pengestu and his team were making breakfast on the slopes of Mount Merapi in Central Java when they heard a loud rumble coming from the nearby crater.

They looked up to see a huge cloud of ash rising into the air.

The sudden eruption took hundreds of climbers by surprise and Pengetsu's group can be heard in the video calling for others further up the slope to take cover.

Fortunately, there were no serious injuries, although one person was reported to have fallen when running for cover.

A government department confirmed the eruption to media and added that it launched ash up to 5,500 metres into the air.

Mount Merapi at Central Java, Indonesia erupted on Friday morning May 11, 2018.

Shopan Pengestu the filmer said, at that time around 07.30 pm, he with other climbing team was in the sandy field area Pasar Bubrah, not far from the crater of Mount Merapi. They are cooking food for breakfast.

About 15 minutes later, while Shopan was recording video activity of his friends to cook, heard the roar from the direction of the crater of the mountain. Once viewed the mountain was erupted. The crater releases thick smoke of volcanic ash, sand and rocks.

This sudden eruption left hundreds of climbers on the summit and mountain slopes in panic and prayer. They shouted at each other for cover, and saved themselves away from the crater.

Lucky no casualties in this incident. One person was reportedly injured by falling while running for safety.

Head of Data Center for Information and Public Relation of National Disaster Management Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho told media, the eruption as high as 5,500 meters which occurred is a type of phreatic eruption, harmless and can occur anytime on Mount Merapi.

Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) determined not to raise the status of Mount Merapi, until now the status of Merapi is still normal (level I).

While the thick eruption of dust made a number of flights destinations Jogjakarta, Central Java canceled.