Rescue workers are currently sifting through debris and mud in search of survivors following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki on the island of Flores in Indonesia. The volcano spewed thick brownish ash up to 2,000 meters high and threw searing lava, gravel, and ash up to seven kilometers from its crater, affecting nearby villages and towns.
The National Disaster Management Agency has confirmed at least nine fatalities, with 63 others hospitalized, 31 of them in serious condition. More than 2,400 villagers have been evacuated to emergency shelters after the eruption destroyed seven schools, 23 houses, and a convent of nuns on the predominantly Catholic island.
