Nearly 22,000 evacuated from areas near erupting Indonesian volcano

Nearly 22,000 people have fled communities around Indonesia's Mount Sinabung, which has erupted more than 100 times in the past two days, officials say. The Geology Disaster Mitigation and Vulcanology Center said 115 eruptions had been recorded since activity began Saturday, the Antara news agency reported Monday. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, called on people remaining in the area to remain alert. He said the status of the volcano, on the island of North Sumatra, had risen to the "cautious" level, causing residents within a three- to four-mile radius of Sinabung's southeast slope to evacuate. Eruptions could be accompanied by the ejection of material within a three-mile radius of the volcano, he added. Evacuees are being sheltered at 33 centers. The volcanic activity comes during a period of intense rain in the region.