At least nine lives were claimed early Monday in Indonesia as a volcanic eruption blanketed seven villages in East Flores with thick ash, according to local official Heronimus Lamawuran.
The rapid escalation forced authorities to begin evacuations, moving residents to safer areas about 20 kilometers (13 miles) away from the active crater.
“Evacuations began this morning, with people relocated to neighboring villages,” Lamawuran reported, as authorities worked to assess both the number of evacuees and the extent of property damage. The disaster underscores the country’s precarious position along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a volatile seismic region where tectonic shifts fuel frequent eruptions and earthquakes.
This latest eruption follows a series of volcanic activities across the nation. Earlier in May, Mount Ibu on the remote Halmahera Island erupted, prompting evacuations across seven villages. Around the same time, North Sulawesi’s Ruang volcano displaced more than 12,000 residents. Torrential rain also triggered flash floods and a cold lava flow from Mount Marapi in West Sumatra on May 11, affecting several districts and causing over 60 fatalities.
With mounting natural threats, Indonesia’s residents continue to face the challenges of living amidst one of the world’s most active geological zones.
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