Jakarta (dpa) – Rainwater mixed with volcanic rocks and sand has caused floods that have killed three people in Indonesia's North Maluku province on the Molucca islands, an official said Wednesday. The Gamalama volcano erupted earlier this month, prompting authorities to raise its alert status to the second-highest level and close the local airport. There were no casualties in the eruption. Heavy rain on Tuesday washed debris from the volcano into the Togorara river, resulting in flooding that inundated two villages, said Sutopo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency. Two of the three people killed were children aged 7 and 10, he said. “We will continue to remind the people of the increasing danger posed by the volcanic material during the current rainy season,” he said. Mount Lokon, a volcano in nearby North Sulawesi province, erupted on Tuesday, but there were no casualties. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for its frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The archipelago is home to at least 129 active volcanoes. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/SqMm7 Tags: Flooding, Indonesia Section: East Asia, Environment, Latest News
