Indonesia's Mount Lokon erupts again

Indonesia's Mount Lokon erupts again

2012-02-10 20:18:33 GMT+7 (ICT)

MANADO, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- Indonesia's Mount Lokon erupted again on Friday after showing increased activity since the previous day, local officials told an Indonesian news agency.

Mount Lokon, which is located on the northern tip of the island of Sulawesi, erupted at around 8:20 p.m. local time, spewing ashes up to 2,000 meters (6,561 feet) into the air, Warno, the Mount Lokon and Mahawu volcano observation post staff, told the Antara news agency.

The eruption produced a loud thumping noise, Warno said, adding that the volcano's activity had been increasing since Thursday with both deep and shallow volcanic earthquakes that eventually caused the eruption.

Nearby residents gathered on the streets in urban villages located not far from the volcano's crater, including in the villages of Kinilow I, Kinilow, and Kakaskasen. There were no reports of casualties.

On August 17, Mount Lokon began to spew volcanic ash which fell as far away as the Kinilow I village and the Tinoor areas in North Tomohon sub-district, which is a short distance from Lokon's crater. And on August 28, Mount Lokon erupted as many as 12 times, followed by constant volcanic activity in the following weeks.

Dozens of active volcanoes in Indonesia are part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Next to Mount Lokon is its volcanic twin, Mount Empung, just 2.2 kilometers (1.3 miles) away.

One of Indonesia's most active volcanoes is Mount Merapi, which is located on the island of Java near Jogjakarta, the country's second-most visited area after Bali. Last year, more than 300 people were killed in a series of eruptions between October and November which also displaced over 300,000 people.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2012-02-10