Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupted in Indonesia

Photo:Pixabay

Shortly after the Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupted ten residents died and dozens more suffered severe burns. The eruption occurred on Monday night local time. Flores Island is part of the East Nusa Tenggara province and workers from the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation have been monitoring the volcano's activity for a long time. The volcano has been spewing lava and rocks into the air since the beginning of the week threatening the area up to a distance of four kilometers from the crater.

The greatest damage is caused by stones that destroy houses in several nearby villages. According to local officials the eruption of the volcano affected at least seven villages. Firefighters are constantly putting out dozens of fires caused by hot stones.

The government raised the volcano's status to the highest alert level and warned that a 7 km radius from the main crater must be cleared. Residents from nearby villages are being evacuated throughout the week. All are temporarily relocated to a distance of twenty kilometers from the volcano.

A spokesman for Indonesia's disaster agency warned of potential flash floods and cold lava flows in the coming days. At the same time, he informed that the government has declared a state of emergency for the next 58 days. It is also expected to help more than ten thousand residents in the affected area.

Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano is one of two prominent volcanic peaks on the eastern end of Flores Island. The volcano's activity has been high since last December and has negatively affected the local economy. Cashew nuts are grown near the craters, but this year's crop was largely destroyed by the ash fall.

Source:BBC/Editorial