DHAKA: More than 25,000 people have fled their homes following a series of eruptions and lava flows from a volcano in Indonesia.

An Indonesian official said on Sunday, reports The Straits Times.

Mount Sinabung on the western island of Sumatra sent hot rocks and ash up to 5,000 metres in the air ‘several times’ on Saturday, National Disaster Mitigation Agency emergency response director Tri Budiarto told media.

‘So far, 25,516 people have been evacuated. There’s nobody now within a five-kilometre radius of the crater. We are urging those living within seven kilometres southeast of the crater to move too,’ he added.

Hot lava, which has been spewing from the volcano for the past two weeks, has flowed into a river and filled up valleys with pyroclastic material, he said.

BDST: 1540 HRS, JAN 12, 2014
Edited by Robab Rosan, Current Affairs Editor