Deadly Explosions from Mount Lewotobi Complicated Mass Evacuation, Claimed 10 Lives

At least 10 people died following a series of explosions on Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki on Indonesia’s Flores Island, as thick ash and hot debris damaged nearby villages, including a monastery. While rescuers searched for more victims, volcanic material covered the area, forcing about 10,000 residents to evacuate. The alert status of the volcano was raised to the highest level and the exclusion zone was increased to 7 kilometers. Home to 120 active volcanoes, Indonesia is located on the seismic “Ring of Fire”. This is the country’s second major eruption in two weeks, following the eruption of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra.