Volcano erupts in central Indonesia

Thursday, July 14, 2011

JAKARTA, Indonesia - A disaster official says a volcano has erupted in central Indonesia, spitting lava and smoke thousands of feet into the air and sending residents in the area fleeing.

There were no immediate reports of causalities.

Brian Rulrone said the first blast at 10:46 p.m. Thursday sent thousands of people living along the slopes of Mount Lokon fleeing.

It was followed by a second eruption just after midnight.

The mountain in north Sulawesi province is one of about 129 active volcanos in Indonesia.

Its last major eruption in 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.