A volcano has erupted in eastern Indonesia, releasing a towering cloud of ash and prompting authorities to escalate alert levels. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, located in the East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Tuesday afternoon, spewing an immense ash plume that reached approximately 11 kilometres (6.8 miles) into the sky. The cloud, which took on a dramatic mushroom shape, was visible from towns and villages up to 145 kilometres (90 miles) away.
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In response to the eruption, officials raised the volcano’s alert status to the highest possible level. Local authorities have also warned of the risk of heavy rainfall triggering lahars — dangerous flows of volcanic debris — in rivers originating from the mountain. As a precaution, the exclusion zone around the crater has been extended to an eight-kilometre (five-mile) radius. So far, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki last erupted in May. That eruption also prompted authorities to elevate its alert level. Previous eruptions in the region have proven more severe; a blast in November claimed nine lives and injured dozens, while another eruption in March led to significant disruptions to flights heading to Bali. It remains unclear whether the latest eruption will affect air travel, although aviation authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
The 1,584-metre (5,197-foot) volcano is one of a pair known collectively as the Lewotobi twins, sitting alongside Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the Flores Timur district. Together, they form part of Indonesia’s seismically active landscape.
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Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped region of tectonic activity that contains around 120 active volcanoes and is prone to frequent eruptions and earthquakes.
