JAKARTA, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Anak Krakatau volcano in the Indonesian province of Lampung erupted on Friday night, authorities said.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) said that the volcano in the Sunda Strait located between Java and Sumatra islands erupted at 10:35 p.m. local time, spewing ash columns up to the height of 500 meters (1,640 feet) above the crater.

The center reported that the eruption lasted for 38 minutes and 4 seconds.

"PVMBG (the center) monitoring shows that the eruption continued until Saturday morning at 5:44 a.m. local time," the National Disaster Mitigation Agency's Spokesman Agus Wibowo said in a statement on Saturday.

Local residents have returned their homes gradually while continuing to monitor the situation.