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Mount Lokon in Tomohon City, North Sulawesi, erupted again at around 7:57 a.m., local time, on Wednesday, sending a plume of ash 2,000 meters into the sky from its Tompaluan crater. "There was an increase in volcanic tremors which culminated in an eruption," said Farid Ruskanda Bina, head of Mount Lokon and Mount Mahawu observation post at the Bandung Geology Agency's volcanology and geological disaster mitigation center (PVMBG), in Kakaskasen, Tomohon, on Wednesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.

Warno, an official at the observation post, added that the increases in Mount Lokon's volcanic tremors was actually not too significant. Currently, the agency's PVMBG is still maintaining Mount Lokon's volcanic activity status at "alert" (level 3) although the frequency of the volcano's eruptions has continued to decline. Previously, Mount Lokon erupted two to three times a week. The eruption on Wednesday morning shocked local residents living around Mount Lokon, as it was accompanied by loud bangs. People left their homes and crowded the Tomohon-Manado main road as well as roads in Kinilow sub-district in Kinilow Satu, Kakaskasen, to witness the eruption. Mount Lokon has been active since July 2011. Its volcanic activity status was once raised to "awas" or level 4, until it was lowered to its current level, said Farid. He said Mount Lokon's most recent eruption before it erupted again this morning was on March 10. - Jakarta Post