Volcano erupts in Indonesia

A volcano erupted in eastern Indonesia late on Thursday, leaving at least one hiker missing and injuring several other people.

A spokesman for Indonesia's Disaster Mitigation Agency, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said Mount Gamalama on Ternate island in North Maluku province spewed hot ash and smoke hundreds of feet into the air.

The 1,715-meter-high (5,630 feet) volcano was reported to still be coughing up hot ash on Friday.

The spokesman said around nine hikers suffered severe injuries as they fled the area - several were taken to hospital, and rescuers were searching for another person reported to be missing.

Meanwhile, Indonesia's Transport Ministry said a domestic airport was closed in the provincial capital, Ternate, around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the volcano.

"We closed the Sultan Baabulah airport this morning as the volcanic ash may pose a risk to planes," said ministry spokesman J.A. Barata adding that the airfield was covered with thick ash.

Indonesia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" where continental plates collide, causing frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

The archipelago nation is home to more than 120 active volcanoes, including around 21 on Java.

lw/pfd ( AP, AFP)