Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The death toll from a suicide car bomb attack on a police facility in Pakistan's largest city has risen to 17, police said.

The number of wounded in the attack -- which took place in the city of Karachi on Thursday -- has also risen to 180, said police official Javed Hussain.

Hussain said about 500 kg (1,100 lbs) of explosives was used in the attack.

Pakistani Taliban spokesman Azam Tariq told CNN that the Taliban carried out the attack, which police say targeted building that housed a Crime Investigation Department facility.

"We will continue such attacks as long as military operations continue against us," Tariq said. Pakistani security forces have been battling the group in the country's tribal region, which borders Afghanistan.

The blast occurred in a high-security area, near government buildings and major hotels, such as the Pearl Continental and the Sheraton. The U.S. consulate is in the general vicinity but was not considered the target.

A Pakistani government official told CNN that about five gunmen on foot cleared the way for the suicide car bomber by firing on security personnel manning a security check post.

The official said that once the vehicle cleared the check post it raced toward the police facility and rammed into the building.

The official, who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media, doesn't know the whereabouts of the gunmen.

Local TV showed footage of a three- or four-story building with significant damage and ambulances rushing the injured from the scene.

The current eruption of Mount Merapi Volcano in Indonesia is another event in this volcano's long history of activity.

Mount Merapi Volcano is active again, and this comes as no surprise to the people who live near this volcano. Indonesia is known for its active and explosive volcanoes, but few are as active as Mount Merapi. What makes the volcano even more dangerous is that it is located near densley populated areas, where evacuating communities can be its own hazard.

The Current Eruption of Mount Merapi Volcano

The current eruption of Mount Merapi began, approximately, the morning of October 26, 2010. Local scientists and resident reported "rumblings" originating from the volcano, which was followed by a small eruption of an ash and gas plume. The ash fell back down on nearby villagers and burned people who were outside their homes trying to flee at the time. Many villagers, who farm on the flanks of the volcano because of the rich and fertile soil, have yet to evacuate as they fear leaving behind their land and possessions.

For now, the eruption is mild and only residents living within four miles of the summit crater have been forced to evacuate. But scientists fear that a much larger eruption is imminent and are currently trying to convince thousands of other residents living on the volcano to evacuate. Fatalities have occurred from the eruption of hot ash and authorities expect more if the volcano's activity increases.