One dead, 5,000 flee volcano eruption<\/p>\n
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara<\/p>\n
At least one person was reported dead and some 5,000 others
\nevacuated from their homes after a volcano on Flores island in
\nEast Nusa Tenggara province erupted, spewing dark clouds of ash
\nand molten lava over at least one subdistrict, officials said on
\nFriday.<\/p>\n
They said the 1,703-meter high Mount Egon, about 25 kilometers
\nfrom the islands main town, Maumere, suddenly started rumbling on
\nThursday, belching sulfuric ash and black smoke from its crater
\nin Bola subdistrict, Sikka regency.<\/p>\n
The major eruption caused panic among residents nearby, and
\nthey fled the mountain villages of Hale, Hebing, Lere, Natakoli,
\nPedat, Bau Krengat and Kelawair.<\/p>\n
The Sikka administration said local villager Servasia
\nHirnawati, 43, was found dead, apparently from smoke and ash
\ninhalation on Friday.<\/p>\n
In addition to the thick clouds of smoke and a great discharge
\nof hot ash, large chunks of sulfur and volcanic rocks were also
\nseen nearby.<\/p>\n
Material losses were yet to be calculated as eruptions were
\nstill ongoing. It last erupted nearly 80 years ago.<\/p>\n
Eyewitnesses said the lower part of the crater was seen
\nbursting and that was believed to be the main outlet for the hot
\nlava that spewed from the volcano.<\/p>\n
Deputy Sikka Regent Yos Ansar Rera said his administration
\ncould not yet determine the danger status of the volcano whether
\nit was caution, alert or first alert, despite the major eruption.<\/p>\n
\"We are still waiting for the results and instructions from
\nthe monitoring station and the local volcanology agency,\" he
\nexplained.<\/p>\n
Ansar said the Sikka administration formed a team on Thursday
\nto arrange for disaster relief for victims and opened
\nhumanitarian posts to anticipate more eruptions.<\/p>\n
The local government has deployed vehicles and volunteers to
\nevacuate residents, he added.<\/p>\n
Several public buildings and schools in Maumere town were
\nbeing prepared to accommodate the refugees.<\/p>\n
Mount Egon is one of 15 volcanoes in the many islands of East
\nNusa Tenggara that are categorized as either active or with the
\npossibility of eruptions.<\/p>\n
Egon last erupted in February 1807 and September 1925 when it
\nbelched black smoke containing sulfur, creating a large crater
\n47.5 meters in diameter.<\/p>\n
Several other active volcanoes in the province include Mount
\nIe in Ende, Mount Lewo Tobi in Larantuka, Mount Ine Rie, Mount
\nEbu in Ngada and Mount Rokatenda in Sikka regency.<\/p>\n
Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of some 17,000 islands, has
\nthe world's highest density of volcanoes with 500.<\/p>\n
Of those 500, 129 are active and 65 are listed as dangerous.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/one-dead-5000-flee-volcano-eruption-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }