Indonesia evacuates hundreds near erupting volcano
AFP | New Delhi
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Hundreds of people living near an erupting volcano in eastern Indonesia have been evacuated after authorities raised its alert status to the highest level, an official said yesterday.
Authorities raised the alert status for Mount Ibu, located on remote Halmahera island, to the highest level of a four-tiered system on Thursday after recording two huge eruptions for the second day in a row.
Residents in seven villages near Ibu -- which spewed ash and smoke 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) into the sky -- began evacuating to several shelters late Thursday after authorities raised the alert status, local disaster mitigation agency official Muhammad Ade Fabanyo told AFP.
“Until today, the evacuees continue to arrive and as of this morning, the preliminary data that we have is around 400 people (evacuated),” Ade said yesterday.
He said the evacuation was a “preventive” measure taken by authorities since the residents were living around seven kilometres (4.3 miles) from the volcano -- within the exclusion zone set by officials.
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