Residents of Eputobi village watch the eruption of Mount Lewotobi on 8 November. Photo: BAYU ISMOYO and ARNOLD WELIANTO / AFP
Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted at least three times on Saturday, spewing an ash column 9km high, as authorities plan to widen the restricted area, officials say.
A big eruption on 3 November by the volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province killed nine. Since then, authorities have been scrambling to evacuate 16,000 people from villages nearest the crater as eruptions continue.
"The eruption accompanied by the ejection of hot lava and hot clouds to the west and northwest of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is still occurring," said Muhammad Wafid, head of the volcanology agency.
The agency plans to expand to 9 km from 8 km the zone southwest to northwest of the crater that people are not allowed to enter, he said.
Evacuation efforts continued, with some 10,700 people having been removed by Friday evening, data from Indonesia's disaster agency showed on Saturday.
On Friday, Mount Lewotobi erupted several times, with an ash column up to 10km high.
- Reuters