A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted overnight, sending fireballs and ash into nearby villages and killing at least 10 people, authorities said as they raised the alert to its highest level on Monday.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) volcano on the popular tourist island of Flores, has stunned authorities by erupting shortly before midnight. Nature rules many villages.
Residents described their horror when a vent began sending flaming rocks into their homes. “I was sleeping when the bed suddenly shook twice, as if someone had fallen heavily,” said 32-year-old barber Hermanus Mite. “Then I saw a volcano erupt and ran outside. “I saw the flames coming out and I ran. There was ash and rocks everywhere. My hospital was still burning and everything inside was gone.”
Abdul Muhari, a spokesman for the country’s disaster risk reduction agency (BNPB), confirmed the death toll at a news conference, adding that 10,295 people had been affected by the eruption. He said the number of refugees was still being counted. An AFP reporter near the volcano said five villages had been evacuated and thousands of people had been forced to seek shelter elsewhere.
Houses near the volcano were covered in thick volcanic rock, some wooden houses were on fire and the ground was cratered, all caused by erupting lava. The country’s electricity ministry said the fire broke out just before midnight, then at 01.27 (1727 GMT Sunday) and again at 02.48.
The Institute of Volcanology has issued the highest alert, telling locals and tourists not to engage in any activities within a seven-kilometre (4.3-mile) radius of the cave. “There is a rise in the water level on Levoto Bilaki-Laki mountain.
Photos were released showing villagers living in communal housing whose roofs collapsed after the volcanic rock hit. Locals said the initial eruption was caused by bad weather.
“We didn’t hear any warning signs because it started with thunder and lightning,” said Petrus Muda Turan, the leader of a village on the predominantly Catholic island. “We didn’t hear any warning signs because it started with thunder and lightning,” said Petrus Muda Turan, the leader of a village on the predominantly Catholic island. A baby and a young priest were reported to be among those killed.
“After midnight, people finally started to recover from the panic. We don’t know how to orient ourselves when we’re running, so we’re just leading ourselves.” protect themselves from the ashes.
Speaking of the destruction of the aid centre, Abdel said the airport in Maumere, Flores’ second-largest town, had been temporarily closed and a help desk had been set up for locals to report missing loved ones.
The volcano has experienced several tremors and eruptions over the past week, sending ash 500 to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) into the sky over several days. Laki-Laki means “man” in Indonesian and is the twin of the volcano that takes its name from the Indonesian word for “woman.”
The mountain has been in turmoil since January, prompting authorities to evacuate at least 2,000 residents. Indonesia is a large country because it lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” and volcanic and seismic activity is common, meaning volcanic eruptions are also common.
At least 24 climbers, mostly students, were killed last December when Mount Malapi in West Sumatra, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, erupted. In May, heavy rains knocked down power lines into residential areas in Malapi, destroying homes and killing more than 60 people.
The Ruang Volcano in North Sulawesi erupted more than six months ago, forcing the evacuations of thousands of nearby islands.
