13 die as Indonesian volcano erupts again

JAKARTA - Thirteen people were killed and about a million people are facing displacement after a volcano erupted again in Indonesia’s Central Java province, Xinhua reported Friday.

Fifty-seven people were injured when the Mount Merapi volcano erupted for the second time since since Wednesday.

The 2,968 meters high volcano erupted at around 12.00 a.m., spewing hot ash up to eight kilometers high and spreading up to 45 km, an official said.

“This is the strongest ever eruption, stronger than that on Wednesday,” Kurniati Rinekso of the Volcanology Agency told Xinhua.

At least five houses in Argo Mulyo village were burned by the hot ash, a rescuer said. Hospital sources said 13 people were killed and 57 others seriously injured.

The bodies were brought to the hospital for post mortem.

The National Disaster and Mitigation Management Agency said that 976,247 people in the danger zone, at a radius of 15 km, must be evacuated.

Earlier, the volcanology agency recommended those who leave at the 10 km radius must leave the area.

Mount Merapi is one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. It has been erupting intermittently since Oct 26.

–Indo-Asain news Service