Indonesian volcano erupts again, least 14 dead

An Indonesia volcano erupted on Saturday, the second time over the last few months. This eruption caused searing gas to be released, which killed at least 14 people and left three others injured.

Mount Sinabung in Indonesia erupted initially back in September and those in a nearby village were evacuated. They had only just been allowed on Friday to return as the Indonesia government said activity levels on the volcano had decreased, reports The Associated Press. The 14,000 who live within three miles of Sinabung had begun to return home. A total of 30,000 people had been initially displaced.

National Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo said four of the dead were high school students who were on a school trip to see the volcano and another one was a local journalist.

Saturday's activity from Sinabung included lava as well as the dangerous pyroclastic flows that traveled nearly three miles in distance.

According to BBC News, the volcano had been dormant since 2010 until September when activity levels began increasing and it erupted. Before that eruption, Mount Sinabung had been dormant for 400 years.

Officials believe the body count could be higher, but rescue and discovery efforts are hampered by the high temperatures in the area.

image: Wikimedia Commons

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