At least 10 dead in multiple volcano eruptions

Multiple eruptions of a volcano mourn Indonesia this Monday. At least 10 people were killed overnight from Sunday to Monday by this natural disaster in the east of the country, authorities announced. They also warned of potential lava flows under the influence of rain.

“The death toll from the eruption of the Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano now stands at 10,” Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), said at a press conference after having announced six deaths.

Villages evacuated

The Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano, which erupted several times during the night according to authorities, is located on the island of Flores, popular with tourists. Ash and lava were expelled from the volcano towards neighboring villages, which were forced to evacuate. In images obtained by AFP, villages located near the mountain appear covered in a thick layer of ash and some places are on fire.

The national volcanology agency raised the alert level to its highest level and urged tourists and residents not to engage in any activities within a seven-kilometer radius around the crater. This volcano was the scene of several major eruptions in January, leading the authorities to sound the alert and evacuate more than 2,000 residents.

The vast Indonesian archipelago experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the “Pacific Ring of Fire.”