At least six people have died after a volcano erupted several times overnight on the eastern island of Flores in Indonesia.
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spewed thick brown ash as high as 2km (6,500 feet) into the air overnight, with hot ash landing on several nearby villages.
A number of homes were burned down, as well as a convent of Catholic nuns, said Firman Yosef, an official at the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki monitoring post.
The agency said at least 10,000 people have been affected by the eruption in Wulanggitang District, across the six nearby villages of Pululera, Nawokote, Hokeng Jaya, Klatanlo, Boru and Boru Kedang.
Volcanic material was thrown up to 6km (3.7 miles) from the mountain’s crater.
The volcano erupted several times, leading officials to increase its alert status to the highest level and doubling the exclusion zone to a 7km (4.3 mile) radius.
One of the victims was a nun in Hokeng village and another from the convent was missing.
“Our nuns ran out in panic under a rain of volcanic ash in the darkness,” said Agusta Palma, the head of the Saint Gabriel Foundation that oversees convents on the majority-Catholic island.
Photos and videos on social media showed houses damaged and covered in ash as rescuers carried away body bags containing dead people.
The Disaster Management Agency said they were still assessing the extent of casualties and damage, as local media reports said more people were buried in collapsed houses.
The death toll was initially believed to be nine but the agency lowered it to six.
Indonesia, situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is home to 120 active volcanoes and is prone to frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
In October 2024, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra erupted, spewing thick ash columns and blanketing nearby villages, though no casualties were reported. Earlier in the year, Mount Ruang erupted in April, leading to the evacuation of thousands and raising concerns about potential tsunamis.