Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupted in eastern Indonesia on Sunday, killing at least nine people, launching massive plumes of lava, and forcing authorities to evacuate several nearby villages, according to officials.
“After the eruption, there was a power outage, followed by heavy rain and intense lightning, which caused panic among residents,” said Hadi Wijaya, a spokesperson for the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), adding that authorities had raised the volcano’s status to Level IV, the highest alert level, as reported by Reuters news agency.
Hadi said fiery lava and rocks hit the nearest settlements around four kilometre (two miles) from the crater, burning and damaging residents’ houses.
The agency recommended a seven-kilometre (4.35 miles) radius to be cleared.
“We have started evacuating residents since this morning to other villages located around 20 kms (13 miles) from the crater,” Hadi said.
By Monday morning, at least nine people had died and the nearest villages were covered by thick volcanic ash, according to Heronimus Lamawuran, a local official in the East Flores area.
Indonesia lies on the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region of intense seismic activity where multiple tectonic plates converge.
The eruption comes amid a series of volcanic eruptions across Indonesia. In May, Mount Ibu on the remote island of Halmahera erupted, prompting evacuations from seven nearby villages.
After torrential rain on May 11, flash floods and cold lava flows from Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province swept through several nearby districts, leaving more than 60 people dead.
