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.