Moderate earthquakes rattle Indonesia

March 25, 2013 – INDONESIA – A 5.2 magnitude earthquake struck south of Sumbawa, Indonesia, hours after a 5.0 tremor shook the region of Kepuluan Sangihe, Indonesia. A volcano also erupted in eastern Indonesia, spewing ash as high 2 kilometers into the air, an official said. Residents were advised to stay farther than 2.5 kilometers from Mount Lokon in North Sulawesi province after the early morning eruption, said National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwonuhroho. No evacuation was necessary, he said. The 1,578-metre volcano has erupted several times since January. It has been on high alert status since July when it began showing increased activity. Indonesia has about 500 volcanoes, 128 of them classified as active and 65 listed as dangerous. –Sowetan