Thousands evacuated following Indonesia volcano eruption

More than 2,000 residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters amid heightened volcanic activities in a volcano in eastern Indonesia.  Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in East Nusa Tenggara province has erupted several times in recent weeks, including an eruption on Monday that spewed volcanic ash 1.5 kilometres above its peak.

Authorities  raised the volcano's status to the second-highest of Indonesia's four-tiered alert levels and expanded the exclusion zone from two kilometres to four kilometres around its crater. The volcano's ashes also forced Frans Seda Airport, located more than 80 kilometres away, to close since Monday. Last month, Mount Marapi, on Sumatra island erupted and 23 people were killed. Indonesia has nearly 130 active volcanoes.