One dead, 5,000 flee volcano eruption

One dead, 5,000 flee volcano eruption

Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara

At least one person was reported dead and some 5,000 others
evacuated from their homes after a volcano on Flores island in
East Nusa Tenggara province erupted, spewing dark clouds of ash
and molten lava over at least one subdistrict, officials said on
Friday.

They said the 1,703-meter high Mount Egon, about 25 kilometers
from the islands main town, Maumere, suddenly started rumbling on
Thursday, belching sulfuric ash and black smoke from its crater
in Bola subdistrict, Sikka regency.

The major eruption caused panic among residents nearby, and
they fled the mountain villages of Hale, Hebing, Lere, Natakoli,
Pedat, Bau Krengat and Kelawair.

The Sikka administration said local villager Servasia
Hirnawati, 43, was found dead, apparently from smoke and ash
inhalation on Friday.

In addition to the thick clouds of smoke and a great discharge
of hot ash, large chunks of sulfur and volcanic rocks were also
seen nearby.

Material losses were yet to be calculated as eruptions were
still ongoing. It last erupted nearly 80 years ago.

Eyewitnesses said the lower part of the crater was seen
bursting and that was believed to be the main outlet for the hot
lava that spewed from the volcano.

Deputy Sikka Regent Yos Ansar Rera said his administration
could not yet determine the danger status of the volcano whether
it was caution, alert or first alert, despite the major eruption.

"We are still waiting for the results and instructions from
the monitoring station and the local volcanology agency," he
explained.

Ansar said the Sikka administration formed a team on Thursday
to arrange for disaster relief for victims and opened
humanitarian posts to anticipate more eruptions.

The local government has deployed vehicles and volunteers to
evacuate residents, he added.

Several public buildings and schools in Maumere town were
being prepared to accommodate the refugees.

Mount Egon is one of 15 volcanoes in the many islands of East
Nusa Tenggara that are categorized as either active or with the
possibility of eruptions.

Egon last erupted in February 1807 and September 1925 when it
belched black smoke containing sulfur, creating a large crater
47.5 meters in diameter.

Several other active volcanoes in the province include Mount
Ie in Ende, Mount Lewo Tobi in Larantuka, Mount Ine Rie, Mount
Ebu in Ngada and Mount Rokatenda in Sikka regency.

Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago of some 17,000 islands, has
the world's highest density of volcanoes with 500.

Of those 500, 129 are active and 65 are listed as dangerous.