Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted at least three times early Saturday (Nov 9), sending an ash column nine kilometers (5.6 miles) into the sky, as officials planned to expand the restricted zone around the volcano. A major eruption by the volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province on Sunday claimed nine lives, prompting authorities to rush to evacuate 16,000 people from villages near the crater due to ongoing eruptions.
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“The eruption accompanied by the ejection of hot lava and hot clouds to the west and northwest of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is still occurring,” stated Muhammad Wafid, head of the volcanology agency. The agency intends to widen the restricted area from eight to nine kilometers southwest to northwest of the crater, Wafid added.
Evacuation efforts remain underway, with around 10,700 people evacuated as of Friday evening, according to data from Indonesia’s disaster agency. On Friday, the volcano erupted multiple times, producing an ash column reaching up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) high.
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