Volcano Near Eruption in Indonesia

By: Meteorologist Ray Hawthorne Email

Updated: Mon 3:45 PM, Nov 05, 2007

One of Indonesia's deadliest volcanoes has started to erupt.

Only a few villagers and volcano monitors on the slopes near Mount Kelud fled in panic after seismic readings showed the eruption had begun.

The volcano's peak was shrouded in fog, so there has been no visual confirmation of the eruption, but officials say most of the 100,000-plus people living in areas considered to be at risk never left or have returned to their homes.

In 1919, a powerful explosion destroyed dozens of villages and killed more than 5,000 people. Indonesia has more active volcanoes than any other nation.

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