Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted once again, launching a towering ash cloud 18km (11 miles) into the sky and forcing thousands to flee their homes.
The volcano, located on the island of Flores, began erupting early Monday morning with a thunderous explosion, prompting authorities to raise the alert to its highest level. It marked Lewotobi’s most powerful eruption since November, according to Indonesia’s geology agency chief Muhammad Wafid.
“An eruption of that size certainly carries a higher potential for danger, including its impact on aviation,” Wafid said.
The volcano erupted again later that evening, at 19:30 local time, sending more ash and lava 13km into the air, and erupted a third time early Tuesday at a reduced intensity.
Dramatic footage circulating on social media showed glowing red lava spilling down the volcano’s slopes while residents hurried into buses and trucks to escape.
More than 4,000 people have already been evacuated, local disaster officials confirmed. For those who remain in nearby villages, conditions are growing increasingly dire.
Paulus Sony Sang Tukan, the head of Pululera village, just 8km from the crater, said food, clean water, and protective masks are in short supply.
“Water is still available, but there’s concern about its cleanliness and whether it has been contaminated, since our entire area was blanketed in thick volcanic ash,” he said.
Authorities have expanded the exclusion zone to a 7km radius around the volcano and warned of the potential for lahar flows dangerous mudslides formed from volcanic debris and water especially if heavy rain falls in the coming days.
At least 24 flights in and out of Bali, a popular tourist destination west of Flores, were cancelled on Monday due to volcanic ash drifting into flight paths. Some services resumed Tuesday, but disruptions remain likely.
Lewotobi Laki-laki, which means “man” in Indonesian, has been highly active in recent months, erupting multiple times this year. It sits alongside its sister peak, the taller but less active Lewotobi Perempuan “woman.”
Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is home to over 120 active volcanoes and experiences frequent seismic activity. While no deaths have been reported from the current eruption, a previous eruption in November killed at least ten people and displaced thousands.
Emergency teams remain on high alert as the eruption continues and ash clouds drift westward and northward, threatening more communities.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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