Indonesian vulcanologists said new lava oozing through cracks in the lava accumulated during a 1990 eruption has created a larger dome, which is now 230 feet high.

Late in the week, officials lowered the alert status for Kelud as activity within the steaming mountain subsided to a level that made an explosive eruption unlikely.

This allowed thousands of villagers to return to work on the mountain’s fertile slopes after being evacuated more than three weeks ago.

• The Anak Krakatau volcano, or “Child of Krakatau,” spewed red-hot lava flares high into the sky above Indonesia’s Sunda Strait. The volcano has been showing signs of increased activity for the past two weeks.

CCTV Video: Meteorological and Geophysical Agency (Indonesia)         Digg This