Thousands flee Indonesian volcano as top alert declared

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

JAKARTA (AFP) — Some 8,500 people have fled the slopes of an Indonesian volcano after it spewed ash, smoke and debris, as the volcanology office raised its warning to the highest level.

The office said volcanic activity at Mount Gamkonora, about 2,700 kilometres (1,600 miles) northeast of Jakarta, prompted it to raise its warning level to "alert" which means an eruption is imminent.

Spot fires were visible and the crater spewed burning material up to 15 metres (yards) from the crater, the office said. People nearby heard two thunderous booms and the column of smoke rising from the crater reached up to 2,500 metres, the office said on its website.

It said that as of early Monday, 8,439 people had moved off the slopes of the 1,635-metre (5,461-foot) volcano,...