On Tuesday evening, June 17th, Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano in Indonesia erupted on a large scale, spewing a massive cloud of volcanic ash reaching 10,000 meters high, causing high concern among authorities.
The Indonesian Geological Agency stated that the volcano erupted violently around 5:35 pm local time on Tuesday, with the huge ash column reaching a height of 11 kilometers. The volcanic activity was intense, recording 50 deep volcanic earthquakes within two hours, while typically only 8 to 10 occur in a day.
Imagery released by the Indonesian Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG) showed a mushroom-shaped cloud of orange-red volcanic ash rising rapidly, engulfing nearby villages and even visible in cities up to 150 kilometers away.
The volcano authority has raised the alert level of the volcano to the highest level, level four, and expanded the danger zone to an 8-kilometer radius around the volcano crater. They have also issued a warning that heavy rainfall could trigger lava flows, advising residents in nearby communities to take precautions.
Muhammad Wafid, the head of the volcano authority, urged everyone to stay out of the 8-kilometer range around Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki and recommended that local residents and tourists wear masks to prevent inhaling volcanic ash, which poses health risks.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency stated that monitoring personnel are continuously observing the volcano activity on-site, with at least one village resident evacuated to a safe zone, and there have been no reports of casualties or property damage so far.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is a twin-peaked volcano standing at 1,703 meters above sea level, located in the eastern part of Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. The volcano has been active since the end of 2023.
This eruption marks the third major volcanic activity at Mount Lewotobi within three months. A previous eruption in May prompted authorities to raise the alert level to the highest, while an eruption in March led to several airlines canceling or delaying flights to Bali.
In November last year, multiple eruptions of the volcano resulted in at least 9 fatalities, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, highlighting the undeniable threat posed by the volcano.
Indonesia, situated within the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the most volcanic countries in the world, with over 120 active volcanoes across the nation, making it a global leader in volcanic activity and earthquake frequency.