Indonesians thank volcano for eliminating pest: report

Farmers residing on the slopes of a smouldering Indonesian volcano are thanking the mountain for getting rid of a pest that had devastated the area's coconut palms, a report here said Tuesday.

Gamkonora volcano on Halmahera island in Indonesia's North Maluku province erupted in July, shooting rocks, ash and smoke into the air for days and prompting thousands to flee their homes.

"Almost all our coconut trees were previously ruined by the sexava pest.