Volcano Mount Sinabung, which began erupting in September, exploded with lava and killed 15 people Saturday.
The deaths came one day after Indonesian officials allowed evacuated villages to return to their homes, according to the Washington Post. The deaths included a group of high school students and a teacher who were visiting the mountain specifically to view the eruptions.
"The death toll is likely to rise, as many people are reported still missing and the darkness hampered our rescue efforts," Lt. Col. Asep Sukarna, said according to the Post.
The government had evacuated 30,000 people from their homes since the eruptions began, but were under pressure to allow residents to return, the Post said.
All victims were found in the village of Sukameriah, according to a post on CNN.
Volcanic eruptions are quite common and unpredictable, according to media reports. Mount Sinabung had been dormant for 400 years until 2010, according to the BBC. The mountain is one of 130 active volcanoes in the region.
A complete gallery of photos is available at CNN.
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