Indonesian volcano: Mount Lokon eruption causes trouble for travellers
Add to My Stories Share A volcanic eruption in central Indonesia has sent thousands of residents fleeing from their homes and caused problems for tourists in the area.
Mount Lokon, in northern Sulawesi province, erupted three times within as many hours on Thursday night, triggering forest fires along its western slope.
Officials said tourists would be barred from going on popular day hikes to the 1,580-metre volcano, located 20 kilometres away from provincial capital, Manado. 
Jimmy Eman, the acting mayor in the nearby town of Tomohon, said the only victim so far was a 56-year-old woman who died of a heart attack.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
The archipelago nation is home to 129 active volcanoes, including 21 on Java.
Only a fortnight ago, another of Sulawesi island's most active volcanoes, Mount Soputan, erupted but there was no n! eed for evacuations.
Mount Lokon, in northern Sulawesi province, erupted three times within as many hours on Thursday night, triggering forest fires along its western slope.
Officials said tourists would be barred from going on popular day hikes to the 1,580-metre volcano, located 20 kilometres away from provincial capital, Manado.
Lethal Mount Lokon: locals fled as hot lava and volcanic ash spewed skyward Despite the volcano's ferocity, flights to the city's international airport were not disrupted, said Lucky Podaag, an airport spokesman.
North Sulawesi province, on Sulawesi island, attracts tourists from around the globe predominantly for the wealth of diving opportunities.
As one local dive instructor put it, the province's popularity is all due to its biodiversity.
'Near Manado and Bunaken you can see around 3000 types of fish, and around 300 types of coral. It is very difficult to find anywhere else that has this amount of variety.'
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Jimmy Eman, the acting mayor in the nearby town of Tomohon, said the only victim so far was a 56-year-old woman who died of a heart attack.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
The archipelago nation is home to 129 active volcanoes, including 21 on Java.
Only a fortnight ago, another of Sulawesi island's most active volcanoes, Mount Soputan, erupted but there was no n! eed for evacuations.
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