UPDATE - Death toll rises to 10 after volcanic eruption on Indonesia’s Flores island

UPDATES DEATH TOLL, CHANGES HEADLINE, LEDE

By Alperen Aktas

ISTANBUL (AA) - The death toll from a volcanic eruption on Indonesia’s Flores Island has risen to 10, local media reported on Monday.

The eruption occurred on Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, according to the Indonesian Disaster Management Agency. Lava flows reached a nearby village, destroying several buildings, including a monastery.

Officials confirmed that a nun is among the deceased, while one person remains missing.

Rescue teams are searching for additional victims under collapsed structures.

At least 10,000 people have been affected by the eruption in six villages of Wulanggitang district and four in Ile Bura district.

The region has experienced a series of eruptions over the past week. In response, authorities raised the alert level for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki to its highest.

Since last week, the volcano has been releasing thick brown ash columns as high as two kilometers (1.24 miles) into the sky each day.

Indonesia, located along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” has 130 active volcanoes, making it one of the world’s most seismically active countries.