Mount Marapi volcano spews volcanic ash during an eruption as seen from Nagari Bukik Batabuah in Agam, West Sumatra province, Indonesia on January 14 (Photo: Antara) Hanoi (VNA) - About 6,500 people on the island of Flores, Indonesia, have had to evacuate after Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano spewed thick clouds of brownish ash for the past few days, local media reported, citing authorities as saying on January 15.
No casualties or major damage have been reported so far.
The 1,584m mountain is one of the “twin volcanoes” — the Lewotobi Laki-laki and Lewotobi Perempuan — in the Flores Timur district. The volcano has erupted 40 times since January 14, with columns of hot clouds rising 500-1,500m into the air.
Residents in nearby villages had to move to relatives' houses or sought shelter in evacuation centres as authorities raised the volcano’s alert status to the highest level on January 9.
Officials urged the local community, as well as visitors and tourists, to stay away from a 4-km radius around the eruption zone and be aware of the potential for cold lava surging into rivers upstream from the peak in case of intense rain.
Lewotobi Laki-laki is one of the 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, another volcano in Indonesia, Mount Marapi on the island of Sumatra erupted again on January 14, for the second time since December 2023, spewing smoke and ash high into the air, but no casualties were reported. At least 100 residents were evacuated there since January 12./.
