The number of earthquakes under Indonesian Banda Api volcano has sharply increased over the past couple of days prompting authorities to raise the volcanic alert level to 2. Preparations are currently underway to evacuate some 1 000 people living near the volcano. The last eruption of this volcano took place in 1988, killing 3 people.
The number of earthquakes started gradually increasing with the beginning of March and sharply increased on April 4, 2017, forcing the authorities to raise the volcanic alert and ban any activity within 1 km (0.62 miles) from the crater. Indonesian disaster agency said that they have already mapped the area and warned that over 770 people are living within 1 km. All of them must be displaced as soon as possible, they said. MORE
