[1] The broad summit region contains overlapping craters up to 900 m (2,950 ft) wide along with several lava domes.

In November 2012, and continuing into 2013, a 3 km exclusion zone was set up and residents living around the mountain were evacuated or moved to Maumere city on the main island of Flores.

[5][6] In the first 8 months of 2013 there was regular activity from the lava dome including repeated ash plumes – generally reaching altitudes of 2–3 km – dome collapses, explosions, avalanches and pyroclastic flows.

[7] On 10 August 2013, the mountain erupted for about seven minutes and spewed ash about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) into the air.

The bodies of the adults were recovered from Ponge beach in Rokirole village, but the remains of the children were not found.