Indonesian volcano alert lowered

0 Comments | AFP, July, 2007

JAKARTA (AFP) — Thousands of people who fled their homes around the slopes of a smouldering volcano in Indonesia were Monday told it was safe to return after authorities downgraded the alert status.

Mount Gamkonora on the northeastern island of Halmahera was put on top alert last Tuesday, meaning experts believed an eruption could be imminent.

"We have downgraded the alert level because the seismic activity of the volcano has somehow grown much quieter, and there have only been fumes emitted from the crater," said Saud Situmorang from Indonesia's volcanology headquarters in Bandung.

He said the smoke curling from the crater was very weak, reaching just 50 to 100 metres (yards) high and the tectonic quakes registered were very small. Last week, smoke...