Residents in rural Ethiopia, 165km northeast of Addis Ababa, are fleeing their homes as Mount Dofan shows signs of a possible eruption.

Since Thursday, smoke with a fiery plume has been seen rising from the volcano, accompanied by steam and debris.

The area has experienced over a dozen recent seismic events, with tremors felt as far as Addis Ababa, the BBC has reported.

Local authorities have begun evacuations, warning of increasing earthquake intensity, while officials stress it’s too early to confirm an eruption but precautionary measures are underway.

Written by B.C. Begley