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4 people feared dead after volcano eruption in Indonesia

By the CNN Wire Staff
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Four people are feared dead after a volcano eruption on Siau Island in Indonesia
  • Mount Karangetang is said to be one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes
  • Five people were injured in the eruption
  • 65 people have evacuated from nearby villages
RELATED TOPICS
  • Indonesia

(CNN) Jakarta, Indonesia -- Four people are missing and feared dead after a volcano eruption in Indonesia, according to a National Disaster Mitigation Agency official.

Mount Karangetang, on Siau Island, is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, according to The Jakarta Globe.

In Friday's eruption, about five people were injured, one seriously, said the disaster official, Priyadi Kardono. Sixteen families, about 65 people, were evacuated from their villages to safer ground.

At least one house was buried and several other buildings, including a church, were damaged, Kardono said. Rescue and aid teams have been sent to the area. A bridge was also damaged, isolating about six villages with about 20,000 residents. Communication lines are down.

Kardono told CNN he doesnt expect the number of deaths or injuries to rise. The villages that are cut off are farther away from the volcano's crater.

Volcanologists didn't issue a warning about the eruption, he said, because there were no indications of increased volcanic activity on Mount Karangetang.

The eruption wasn't a large one and he said he had received reports that the flow of volcanic debris has decreased.

CNN Jakarta Bureau Producer Kathy Quiano-Castro contributed to this report.