At least nine dead in the eruption of a volcano on the Indonesian island of Flores

MADRID 4 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –

At least nine people died this Monday due to the eruption of the Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano, which is located on the Indonesian island of Flores, while the authorities have raised the alert status in the area to level four.

The head of the Information and Communication Service of the Regency of Flores del Este, Herry Lamawuran, has confirmed the balance and has reported that damage has been reported in several buildings (both residential and schools) that are located at the foot of the mountain, according to the Indonesian news agency Antara.

The eruption, which began during the night from Sunday to Monday, has caused panic among the inhabitants of nearby towns, who have fled their homes as ash and debris fell. The authorities have declared a state of emergency until December 31 in the affected areas, according to a local official consulted by the DPA news agency.

Indonesia, located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, has recorded several eruptions in recent months, such as that of the Merapi volcano or that of Ibu. The country has a total of 127 active volcanoes. In the eruption of the Merapi volcano in 2010, 60 people died.