The photo taken from the Maurole district of East Nusa Tenggara province with a camera phone shows Mount Rokatenda volcano spewing a huge column of hot ash during an eruption on August 10, 2013. The volcano erupted in central Indonesia on August 10, spewing hot ash and rocks high into the air and killing five people, an official said. - AFP
JAKARTA: Five people were killed by hot ash as Mt. Rokatenda on Palue island in East Nusa Tenggara province in central Indonesia erupted again on Saturday, Xinhua news agency reported.
Head of Volcanology Agency Surono said the volcano, which has erupted since October 12, erupted again at 4:27am local time Saturday, spewing ash up to 2,000 metres high.
Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman from National Disaster Management Agency, confirmed that five people were killed by hot ash on Saturday.
"Five people were confirmed dead. Three bodies have been found and the rest are being searched," he said.
Surono said more than 3,000 residents had been evacuated from the dangerous zone months ago, but some have returned to their homes.
"Now the volcano continues to erupt," he said. Indonesia is home to 129 active volcanoes.
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