"I offer my condolences for the disaster caused by Mount Rokatenda's eruption," the president said on his Twitter account here on Monday.
According to President Yudhoyono, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has completed evacuation operations and is continuing to monitor related activties.
Mount Rokatenda in Palue island, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province, erupted earlier on Saturday, spewing out hot lava which flowed from the Woje Wubi Village to Cua Beach.
Thousands of Palue Island residents in the Sikka district of East Nusa Tenggara have been evacuated from the area after the eruption which left three dead and two missing.
"People were evacuated on motor boats belonging to civilians and the Indonesian Navy (TNI AL)," said Tini Tadeus, Chief of East Nusa Tenggara Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency, on Sunday.
Officers of the regional agency began rescue operations after it was reported that the eruption of Mount Rokatenda would endanger the lives of people living in the area.
Occurring at 4 a.m local time, the massive eruption also caused ash rains in three hamlets, Tuanggeo, Rokirole, and Nitunglea of Palue sub-district.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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