A volcano erupted several times overnight on the eastern Indonesian island of Flores. Officials said that rescue teams were still searching for victims under the rubble of collapsed homes.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Indonesia's eastern island of Flores erupted overnight, killing several people in surrounding villagesImage: Andre Kriting(dpa/picture alliance
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At least six people died after a volcano erupted several times in eastern Indonesia, officials said.
The eruptions occurred at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki which is located on the island of Flores.
What else do we know about the eruption?
"According to our coordination with the local authorities, six fatalities have confirmed," Abdul Muhari, the spokesman for Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said in an interview for the Kompas TV broadcaster.
Avi Mangota Hallan, the head of emergency response and logistics for East Flores district, told Germany's DPA news agency that rescue teams were still searching for potential victims trapped under the ruble of collapsed homes.
The crater erupted just before midnight and again at 1:27 a.m. (1727 UTC Sunday) and 2:48 a.m. local time.
The volcano has been spewing ash up to 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) into the air every day since Thursday.
Firman Yosef, an official at the volcano's monitoring post, said that several houses were burned down, including a convent of Catholic nuns.
The popular tourist island of Flores is in the Lesser Sunda Islands and lies along on the Pacific Ring of FireImage: Wolfgang Kaehler/Avalon/picture alliance
Government declares state of emergency
Hallan said that the government had declared a state of emergency in affected areas until December 31.
Indonesia's volcanology agency raised the alert level to its highest mark.
It told locals and tourists not to carry out activities within a seven-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius of the crater.
"There has been a significant increase in volcanic activity on Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki," it said in a press release.
It warned there was a potential for rain-induced lava floods and told locals to wear masks to avoid the effects of volcanic ash.
The mountain on Indonesia's Flores island had several major eruptions in January, prompting authorities to raise the alert status to its highest level and evacuate at least 2,000 residents.
Indonesia experiences frequent eruptions and is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" area, which sees intense volcanic and seismic activity.
South Pacific witnesses 'ring of fire' solar eclipse
In a rare event, the moon blotted out most of the sun across the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday, giving residents of Chile and Argentina a spectacular show.
Image: Natacha Pisarenko/AP/dpa/picture alliance
Stoic witnesses
The Moai have been standing on Easter Island, which belongs to Chile, for more than 1,500 years. From the southern slope of Rano Raraku, the stone statues look out over a coastal plain shrouded in legend. On Wednesday, they witnessed a special celestial event.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
Tradition meets tourism
There are many theories about the meaning and purpose of the Moai. The statues can be found in Rapa Nui National Park, which is administered by the Mau Henua Indigenous community. On Wednesday, visitors wearing native Rapa Hui costumes took a quick photo before the new moon shifted in front of the sun and the landscape sank into darkness.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
Getting ready
Other visitors preferred to arm themselves with a telescope, so as not to miss a single detail of the celestial spectacle. Wednesday's eclipse could only be observed from a few places in the Southern Hemisphere, including Easter Island. And the weather also had to cooperate.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
Horsing around
These horses in Rapa Nui National Park were still frolicking innocently ahead of the eclipse, unaware of what lay ahead. An eclipse can cause very different reactions in the animal kingdom, with horses often showing clear signs of stress. Other animals become calm, as if lulled into a sense night has come.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
Great anticipation
Onlookers on Easter Island gathered early on Wednesday to witness the special event, and national park staff handed out protective glasses to protect curious eyes. An annular solar eclipse — when the moon passes directly between the Earth and sun, briefly crowning it with a brilliant 'ring of fire' — is a rare event in any one place. The next such event won't happen in Chile before 2027.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
'Ring of fire'
The spectacular halo effect is related to the distance of the moon from the Earth. As the Earth's satellite is currently further away than usual, it appears slightly smaller in the sky and doesn't completely cover the sun during an eclipse.
Image: Ivan Alvarado/REUTERS
Mark your calendar
The last time a total solar eclipse was seen in Germany was in August 1999; the next one won't be seen until September 2081.
