10 Photos of Indonesia's Deadly Volcanic Eruption

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By Fran Berkman2014-02-01 20:07:33 UTC

At least 14 people died when an Indonesian volcano erupted Saturday, following months of increased activity.

As of Saturday afternoon, the reported death toll was 14, but that number could increase, according to the Associated Press, citing officials. Four high-school students and their teacher, as well as a local television journalist, were among those killed by Mount Sinabung's eruption.

The eruption was not entirely unexpected. As Sinabung became increasingly volatile, tens of thousands of people evacuated the regions around the volcano in Namantaran, North Sumatra over the past few months.

Following decreased activity, nearly 14,000 people who lived outside a three-mile volcanic danger zone were allowed to return to their homes on Friday, the AP reported. Just a day later, the volcano erupted multiple times, sending lava up to 2.8 miles away.

Indonesia is no stranger to volcanic and seismic events. The Southeast Asian country is part of the "Ring of Fire" encircling the Pacific Ocean; it contains 75% of the world's active volcanos, and nearly 90% of the world's earthquakes take place there.

Take a look at 10 photos, below, which show the scale and devastation of Saturday's eruption.

Warning: Some of the images below are graphic in nature.