TOPSHOT - Villagers flee during an eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a day after the previous eruption, in Boru Village, in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, on November 5, 2024. A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted overnight, killing at least 10 people as it spewed fireballs and ash on surrounding villages, officials said on November 4 as they raised the alert to its highest level. (Photo by ARNOLD WELIANTO / AFP)
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted twice on Wednesday, sending towering plumes of volcanic ash up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) into the sky and prompting authorities to raise the alert level to its highest tier.
The volcano, located in East Nusa Tenggara province, first erupted at 1:35 a.m. local time (1835 GMT Tuesday), lasting about nine minutes, the country’s Geological Agency said. A second eruption followed at 9:21 a.m. (0121 GMT), spewing ash as high as 8 kilometres for around three minutes.
Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geological Agency, said the decision to raise the alert was made late on Tuesday after observing “significant rising of the volcano’s activities” since Monday. Residents have been warned to stay at least six to seven kilometres away from the crater and to remain alert for possible volcanic mudflows during heavy rain.
Dozens of residents from nearby villages were evacuated following the latest eruptions, according to local disaster official Avelina Manggota Hallan, who noted that many had already fled due to memories of the volcano’s deadly November 2024 eruption, which killed 10 people and damaged thousands of homes.
The government has temporarily closed Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara, until Thursday, airport authorities said. However, flights to and from Bali remain unaffected.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which last erupted in August, is one of more than 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The Southeast Asian nation lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity where several tectonic plates meet.
Melissa Enoch
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