At least 10 people have died after Mount Leotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupted in eastern Indonesia. On Monday (November 4), Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency reported multiple eruptions on the remote island of Flores. Mount Leotobi Laki Laki erupted shortly after midnight on Sunday, spewing thick brown ash 2,000 meters high and hot ash hitting a nearby village. Several houses and a monastery of Catholic nuns were burnt down. British news agency Reuters reported this news.
Residents of several nearby villages have already been evacuated.
The volcano is spewing fiery red lava, volcanic ash and burning rock, said Hadi Wizaya, spokesman for the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazards.
After the eruption, the power went out, followed by rain and heavy lightning, which caused panic among the locals, he said.
The country's volcano monitoring agency raised the volcano's alert level to its highest level and more than doubled the radius of the safety zone to 7 kilometers after midnight on Monday as eruptions intensified.
Local officials said the eruption had affected seven villages and killed at least 10 people by Monday afternoon.
The airport in the town of Maumere has been temporarily closed.
Photos shared by authorities showed the sky above the volcano reddened by the eruption, and some wooden houses were burning. Residents wearing masks were also seen being evacuated.
The local government has declared a state of emergency for the next 58 days. Warnings have also been issued for flash floods and cold lava flows over the next few days.
