Indonesian volcano spits debris as hundreds more flee*

JAKARTA, July 11 (AFP) Jul 11, 2007

A smouldering Indonesian volcano shot rocks, ash and smoke into the air
for the third consecutive day Wednesday as hundreds more villagers
deserted its slopes, police and scientists said.

Volcanologists warned on Tuesday that an eruption of Mount Gamkonora,
located on the northeastern island of Halmahera may be imminent.

"There have been 11 small eruptions registered within the first 18 hours
of today (Wednesday)," geologist Toto Hendrasto told AFP from Ternate,
the capital of North Maluku province, 66 kilometres (41 miles) southwest
of Gamkonora.

The smoke column rose up to 2,500 metres from the crater of the
1,635-metre (5,461-foot) volcano, he added.

The column had been about 500 metres higher on Tuesday.

Risnu Malau, a policeman in the nearby town of Jailolo, said a total of
8,621 people from eight villages had fled to safer areas. He said most
local police had been dispatched to the slopes to help local authorities
deal with the displaced.

Earlier, Hendrasto said that historically the volcano's eruptions have
involved ash, smoke and small pieces of volcanic debris.

"Centuries ago, an eruption of Gamkonora involved lava and pyroclastic
flows, but in recent history, its eruptions have only been marked by
spewing ash. Hopefully, it stays that way too this time," Hendrasto told
AFP.

Indonesia sits on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire," where
continental plates meet, causing frequent volcanic and seismic activity.
The archipelago nation has the world's highest number of active volcanoes.

Gamkonora, located some 2,700 kilometres (1,600 miles) northeast of
Jakarta, has erupted 12 times since records have been kept, most
recently 20 years ago.