KARO, Indonesia: Almost 18,000 people have now fled their homes as a volcano violently erupts in western Indonesia, an official said, as it spewed more red-hot gas and rocks Monday.
Authorities at the weekend issued the highest safety alert for Mount Sinabung on the island of Sumatra after it erupted spectacularly, urging everyone in a five-km (3.1-mile) radius of the volcano to evacuate.
On Monday, Sinabung erupted six times more, spewing columns of ash as high as 2,000 meters (6,500 feet), national disaster agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said.
“The number of displaced increased a lot because we lifted the alert level,” he said, adding 17,713 people had now fled their homes up from around 12,000 the day before.
“But some communities are not as affected and people are staying at home to farm and rear livestock.” Sinabung is one of dozens of active volcanoes in Indonesia, which straddles major tectonic fault lines known as the “Ring of Fire.”
In August, five people were killed and hundreds evacuated when a volcano on a tiny island in East Nusa Tenggara province erupted.
Mount Merapi in central Java, the country’s most active volcano, killed more than 350 people in a series of violent eruptions in 2010 and showed signs of low activity last week.
18,000 Indonesians flee erupting volcano
18,000 Indonesians flee erupting volcano
Portugal storm death toll climbs, 450,000 without power
- Storm Kristin brought heavy downpours and strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 178kph, on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday
LISBON: Storm Kristin has claimed five lives and left nearly 450,000 clients without power on Thursday, more than 24 hours after it barreled through central and northern Portugal, authorities said.
The storm brought heavy downpours and strong winds, reaching speeds of up to 178kph, on the night from Tuesday to Wednesday.
The fifth victim, whose death was announced on Thursday, was a 34-year-old man who died in the center of the country “as a result of the severe weather,” according to civil protection officials, who did not provide details.
Almost 450,000 customers were still without power early Thursday, mainly in the center of the country, according to E-redes, the electricity distribution network operator.
The majority were in the Leiria district in central Portugal where the storm knocking down poles and high-voltage lines.
Rail services remained suspended on several lines, including Lisbon to Porto, according to the state-owned rail company.
Several schools in the central part of the country remained closed.
Firefighters in Leiria responded to dozens of calls Thursday morning related to minor flooding and damage to roofs, regional official Ricardo Costa told the Lusa news agency.
“Residents are calling for help because it’s still raining, although not very heavily, but it’s causing significant damage to homes,” he added.
The Portuguese government said the storm had “caused significant damage across several parts of the country.”
