JAKARTA, Aug 13- Five people died on Saturday and hundreds more were evacuated following the Mount Rokatenda volcano eruption on the small island of Palue, Indonesian authorities said.
The evacuation process started yesterday with six boats ferrying the victims from Palue Island to Sikka, especially those from Koa, Desa Rokirole and Nitung in Nitunglea, Maumere, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho the head of National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) information centre, in a statement, Monday.
According to reports, the explosion, spewing lava and a plume rising about 2,000m in the air had occurred before dawn, when most of the inhabitants were at home.
The island which is about 5km wide and 2,000km to the east of Jakarta, has been experiencing an increase in volcanic activity since a series of small eruptions had began recently.
Rokatenda rises 875m above sea level and its deadliest eruption on record occurred in 1928, when 300 people were killed.
The Indonesian archipelago lies within the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of great seismic and volcanic activity that is shaken by some 7,000, mostly low magnitude, tremors.
The statement said 511 residents of the island have been evacuated since the eruption and the operation would continue until all 5,000 residents were shifted to Maumere.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono had on Monday offered his condolence to victims of the Rokatenda volcano.
Mount Rokatenda is a stratovolcano which had erupted on Feb 2 and 3, this year.
– BERNAMA
