Volcano erupted overnight in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 10 people as it spewed fireballs and on surrounding villages, officials said Monday as they raised the alert to its highest level.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-metre (5,587-feet) twin volcano located on the popular tourist island of Flores, erupted shortly before midnight, forcing authorities to evacuate several villages.
WORDS FROM VILLAGERS
Residents described their horror when the crater started shooting flaming rocks at their homes.
‘I was asleep when suddenly the bed shook twice, as if someone had slammed it. Then I realised the volcano had erupted, so I ran outside,’ said 32-year-old hairdresser Hermanus Mite.
‘I saw flames coming out and immediately fled. There were ashes and stones everywhere. My salon also caught fire and everything inside was lost.’
NUMBER OF VICTIMS
Abdul Muhari, spokesman of the country’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), confirmed the death toll at a press conference, adding that 10,295 people had been affected by the eruptions.
He said the number of evacuees was still being calculated.
Now, thousands of people are forced to seek shelter elsewhere.
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Buildings near the volcano were covered by thick ash while some wooden homes caught fire, and the ground was pockmarked with holes caused by flying molten rocks.
The crater erupted just before midnight and then again at 1:27 am (1727 GMT Sunday) and 2:48 am, the country’s volcanology agency said.
The volcanology agency hoisted the highest alert level and told locals and tourists not to carry out activities within a seven-kilometre (4.3-mile) radius of the crater.
