The death toll from recent eruptions at Indonesia's volatile Mount Merapi has reached 304, Indonesian media said on Sunday.
The death toll climbed after several victims succumbed to illnesses linked to the eruption and severe burns, also more ash-buried bodies have been recently found at the slopes of the volcano, Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) said in a statement.
Mount Merapi is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in Indonesia and has produced more lava flows than any other volcano in the world. It has been active for 10,000 years and has registered eruptions on average every four years.
On October 26 mount Merapi erupted after years of dormancy, a series of eruptions followed. The volcano's eruption on November 5 was deemed the deadliest in decades.
Merapi is located about 20 miles to the north of Yogyakarta, and thousands of people live on the flanks of the volcano, with villages as high as 1,700 meters above sea level.
Currently, the volcanic activity has declined and the current eruptions are not enough dangerous to endanger people, the BNPB said. Some 200,000 local residents have already returned home.
MOSCOW, November 21 (RIA Novosti)
