Volcano kills six in Indonesia's Lesser Sunda Islands, highest alert issued

Indonesias Mount Merapi erupts sending lava down its slopes in Central Javas Magelang district Nov 4 2024 AFP-Yonhap — Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupts, sending lava down its slopes in Central Java's Magelang district, Nov. 4, 2024. AFP-Yonhap

SEOUL, November 05 (AJP) - Six people died after multiple eruptions at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores island, eastern Indonesia, with volcanic ash reaching 2 kilometers high and engulfing nearby villages in hot brown ash early Monday, the disaster management agency reported.

Indonesian authorities raised the volcanic alert to the highest level 4, evacuating residents from five villages and imposing a 7-kilometer exclusion zone around the crater. Officials warned of potential floods from volcanic mud flowing into rivers and urged residents to wear masks due to respiratory risks.

The volcano, one of Indonesia's approximately 120 active volcanoes along the "Ring of Fire," had its first eruption in 20 years last December, forcing about 2,000 residents to evacuate. Local media Kompas TV showed footage of burned houses, collapsed buildings, and roads covered in gray ash from Thursday's eruption.

AJP