Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia has erupted again, projecting ash clouds up to 18km into the atmosphere, prompting major evacuations and heightened alerts. Authorities are on high alert following the volcano's significant activity which has left local communities grappling with shortages of essentials.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash High Into the Sky
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash High Into the Sky
The Indonesian volcano's recent eruptions have led to evacuations and flight cancellations.
Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted once again, sending a massive ash cloud soaring 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the atmosphere, forcing residents to flee their homes. Since the volcanic activity resumed on Monday morning, there have been no reported fatalities, but local authorities have escalated the alert level to the maximum due to the potential for danger.
The eruption led to the cancellation of at least 24 flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali, although some operations resumed the following day. The initial eruption produced a significant column of hot gas and ash at 11:05 AM (03:05 GMT), marking the most intense activity from the volcano since November, according to the head of Indonesia's geological agency, Muhammad Wafid. He emphasized that such volcanic eruptions could pose considerable risks, particularly to air travel.
Following this event, authorities extended the exclusion zone to a 7-km radius around the central vent and alerted residents to the risk of lahar floods, which occur when volcanic debris flows are exacerbated by heavy rainfall. The volcano exhibited further activity later in the day at 19:30, launching ash and lava up to 13 kilometers high, and a subsequent eruption occurred at a reduced intensity early on Tuesday morning.
Videos from the scene depict glowing lava gushing from the volcano as local inhabitants evacuate in cars and buses, with more than 4,000 individuals having been relocated as a precaution. Those who chose to remain face challenges, including a lack of access to potable water and essential supplies, as local services struggle amid the thick layer of volcanic ash covering the area.
Local authorities have expressed concern over the safety of the available water, which may be contaminated due to the ashfall. Paulus Sony Sang Tukan, a village leader near the volcano, emphasized the need for focused emergency response efforts to assist communities impacted by the ongoing eruptions and secondary explosions, which continue to disperse ash clouds toward the west and north.
Indonesia, located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," is frequently affected by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes due to the movement of tectonic plates. While there have been repeated eruptions of Lewotobi Laki-laki this year without casualties, a prior eruption in November 2022 resulted in the deaths of at least ten people and prompted extensive evacuations. The volcano, whose name means "man" in Indonesian, is paired with the larger but less active Mount Perempuan, meaning "woman."
