Indonesia’s Laki-Laki erupts eight times as gov’t eyes permanent relocation
Al Jazeera
Amid the scramble for shelters, the authorities plan to move thousands of remaining residents from the danger zone.
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki has erupted eight times, spewing a massive column of ash and prompting the government to consider permanent relocation for residents nearby.
There were no immediate reports of casualties from Thursday’s eruptions, the ash plume rising 2,500 metres (8,200 feet) from its peak, but residents on the tourist island of Flores were seen fleeing in panic.
Officials raised the alert for the 1,703-metre (5,587-foot) twin-peaked volcano to the highest level.
At least 5,816 of the more than 16,000 people living in areas near the volcano had been evacuated to other villages, said Heronimus Lamawuran, a spokesperson for the Flores regional government.
The country’s Center for Volcanology and Disaster Mitigation said a mixture of rock, lava and gas was also thrown up to 1km (0.6 miles) from its crater.
