Nine dead, 63 injured in volcanic eruption in Indonesia...the evacuation of 16,000 people.

Deaths and damage from the eruption of the Sosunda Islands in eastern Indonesia are on the rise.

According to Antara news agency on the 5th, Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency announced that the death toll from the volcanic eruption has increased to nine and about 16,000 villagers are being evacuated.

The volcano, which began to erupt on the night of the 3rd, also had a small eruption on the night of the 4th.

The eruption caused ash to soar 2km above the crater, and as hot ash hit nearby villages, houses burned down and collapsed.

Local authorities say the eruption killed nine people, injured 63 and damaged 2,384 homes and 25 school buildings.Disaster Management Agency spokesman Abdul Muhari
said rescuers were continuing to search for missing people under collapsed houses, adding that the death toll was expected to rise further.

Authorities maintained the highest level of four volcanic warnings, saying the eruption was continuing, and closed four nearby airports.