Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted twice on Wednesday, spewing massive plumes of volcanic ash up to 10 kilometres into the sky and prompting authorities to elevate the alert level to its highest tier.
The volcano, situated in East Nusa Tenggara province, first erupted at 1:35 a.m. local time (1835 GMT Tuesday), lasting about nine minutes, according to the country’s Geological Agency. A second eruption occurred at 9:21 a.m. (0121 GMT), ejecting ash as high as eight kilometres for approximately three minutes.
Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geological Agency, said officials decided to raise the alert late on Tuesday after detecting “significant increases in volcanic activity” since Monday. Residents were advised to maintain a distance of six to seven kilometres from the crater and remain cautious of potential volcanic mudflows, especially during heavy rainfall.
Local disaster management official Avelina Manggota Hallan confirmed that dozens of residents from nearby villages had been evacuated following the eruptions. Many others had already fled earlier, recalling last November’s deadly eruption that killed 10 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
Authorities also announced the temporary closure of Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara, until Thursday as a precautionary measure, though flights to and from Bali remain unaffected.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which last erupted in August, is among Indonesia’s more than 120 active volcanoes. The country sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for intense seismic and volcanic activity caused by the movement of tectonic plates.
