At least six people were killed after a volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted several times on Monday.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located on the popular tourist island of Flores, spewed a tower of ash and lava onto nearby villages that were forced to evacuate.
“According to our coordination with local authorities, six fatalities have been confirmed,” Abdul Muhari, spokesman for the country's disaster management agency, said in an interview on Kompas TV on Monday.
Images received on social media showed villages near the volcano covered in thick ash, and some areas on fire.
The country's volcanology bureau raised the alert level to the highest level and told locals and tourists not to conduct activities within a seven-kilometer radius of the crater.
“There has been a significant increase in volcanic activity on Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki,” a press release said on Monday.
It warned there was a risk of rain-induced lava flooding and told locals to wear masks to avoid the effects of volcanic ash.
The mountain experienced several major eruptions in January, prompting authorities at the time to raise the alert status to the highest level and evacuate at least 2,000 residents.
Indonesia, a vast archipelagic nation, experiences frequent eruptions due to its location on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', an area of intense volcanic and seismic activity.
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