Alert level of Indonesia volcano raised to highest

JAKARTA (AP) - Officials raised the alert for Indonesia volcano's history of violent explosions at its highest level after a series of eruptions on the weekend.

Responsible for disaster management Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said people living near Mount Lokon Monday in northern Sulawesi province should be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Residents and tourists were invited to stay at 2.2 miles (3.5 km) away from 5741 feet (1750 meters) from the volcano.

The last major eruption was Lokon in 1991, when a Swiss hiker was killed and thousands of villagers were forced to flee their homes.

Lokon is one of about 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanos and fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.