Volcano erupts in central Indonesia
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Mount Soputan spews volcanic smoke as seen from Tombatu village in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, July 3, 2011. The volcano has erupted in clouds of smoke and searing gas that shot up nearly 20,000 feet (six kilometers) into the air. (AP Photo/Grace Wakary)
Mount Soputan spews volcanic smoke as seen from Tombatu village in North Sulawesi, Indonesia, Sunday, July 3, 2011. The volcano has erupted in clouds of smoke and searing gas that shot up nearly 20,000 feet (six kilometers) into the air. (AP Photo/Grace Wakary)
JAKARTA, Indonesia >> A disaster official says a volcano has erupted in central Indonesia, spitting lava and smoke thousands of feet into the air and sending residents in the area fleeing.
There were no immediate reports of causalities.
Brian Rulrone said the first blast at 10:46 p.m. Thursday (4:46 a.m. Hawaii time) sent thousands of people living along the slopes of Mount Lokon fleeing.
It was followed by a second eruption just after midnight.
The mountain in north Sulawesi province is one of about 129 active volcanos in Indonesia.
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Its last major eruption in 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.
