N. Sulawesi's Mount Lokon spews ash: Mount Lokon in Indonesia's

N. Sulawesi's Mount Lokon spews ash: Mount Lokon in Indonesia's
North Sulawesi province erupted Sunday, spewing rocks and ash
that blanketed two villages on its slope. The 1,689 meter high
Mount Lokon, which last erupted in 1991 forcing the evacuation of
at least 11,000 people from its slopes, began spewing rocks and
ash around 0230 GMT, said Abu Solihin of the vulcanology office
in Manado, the provincial capital. Rocks fell within a limited
radius on the top of the active volcano, while ash-heavy smoke
rose hundreds of meters into the air before winds blew it towards
the southeast, Solihin said. The ash blanketted two villages --
Kinilouw and Kakaskasen -- and reached the water of the Tondano
lake, he added. "So far we have not recommended any evacuation of
the population as the activities of the volcano is not yet
considered anywhere near the dangerous level," he said. -- AFP