The eruption of a volcano in the east of Indonesia led to the death of 9 people

At least nine people died after Mount Levotobi Laki-laki in the east of the country Indonesia It erupted Sunday night, spewing explosive columns of lava and forcing authorities to evacuate several nearby villages, officials said Monday.

Mount Levotobi Laki Laki, located on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted at 11:57 p.m. local time on Sunday, spewing a fiery red column of lava, volcanic ash and red-hot rocks, Hadi Vijaya, a spokesman for the Center for Volcanology. and mitigation of geological hazards, he said on Monday.

“After the eruption, there was a power outage, followed by rain and strong lightning, causing panic among residents,” he said, adding that authorities had upgraded the volcano’s status to level IV or the highest.

The agency recommends a 7 km (4.35 mi) radius be exempt.

Lava and rocks hit nearby towns about 4 km (two miles) from the crater, burning and damaging residents’ homes, Hadi said.

Mount Levotobi Laki-laki spews volcanic ash from its crater during a previous eruption on October 12. Photo: AFP

As of Monday morning, at least nine people had died, said Geronimus Lamavuran, a local official in the East Flores district, adding that the eruption had affected seven villages.