Volcano erupts in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 10 people
A series of volcanic eruptions on the remote island of Flores in Indonesia has claimed at least 10 lives, including a child, as Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted violently early Monday, spewing ash and hot debris into the air.
The eruption, which began around midnight, sent thick brown ash as high as 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) into the sky, with volcanic material landing up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the crater. Villages near the volcano were buried in tons of volcanic debris, leading to widespread destruction, including the burning of homes and a Catholic convent, officials reported.
Firman Yosef, an official from the Lewotobi Laki Laki monitoring post, confirmed that several houses were destroyed, including a convent in the village of Hokeng, where a nun died and another went missing. “Our nuns ran out in panic under a rain of volcanic ash in the darkness,” said Agusta Palma, head of the Saint Gabriel Foundation, which oversees the convents.
Rescue teams are still searching for survivors and recovering bodies in the aftermath of the eruption. Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), stated that all confirmed fatalities were within a 4-kilometer (2.4-mile) radius of the volcano’s crater.
Authorities have raised the volcano’s alert status to the highest level, and the exclusion zone around the eruption site has been extended to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius. Over 10,000 people across six villages in Wulanggitang District and four in Ile Bura District have been affected by the eruption, with many seeking refuge with relatives or moving into government-designated shelters, including local schools.
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki follows a similar event earlier this year. In January, around 6,500 people were evacuated when the volcano began erupting, though no casualties were reported at that time. However, the eruption on Monday was far more intense, with Indonesian geologists attributing the explosive activity to a buildup of pressure from a magma blockage in the crater.
“The eruptions since Friday were caused by the accumulation of hidden energy,” said Muhammad Wafid, head of Indonesia’s Geology Agency.
This eruption marks Indonesia’s second major volcanic event in just two weeks. On October 27, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra erupted multiple times, spewing ash and debris, though no casualties were reported in that case either.
Indonesia is home to more than 120 active volcanoes and is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area prone to frequent seismic activity, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and landslides. The nation of 280 million people is regularly affected by natural disasters due to its location along major fault lines.
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