Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki Erupts Again, Prompting Evacuations and Flight Cancellations

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki Volcano Erupts, Prompting Evacuations and Flight Cancellations

The Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano in Indonesia erupted three times on Friday, sending an ash column 8,000 meters (26,200 feet) high. The eruption prompted authorities to expand the danger zone around the volcano and evacuate nearby residents.

The volcano, located on the remote island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, has experienced hundreds of earthquakes and increased volcanic activity in the past week. An eruption followed by an explosion was heard on Thursday evening as far away as Larantuka and Maumere, two cities located 50 to 85 kilometers from the volcano.

Two additional eruptions occurred on Friday, along with smaller activity throughout the day. Smoke billowed from the crater, and firelight was seen at the peak, indicating the presence of glowing volcanic material at a shallow depth.

Authorities raised the eruption alert to the highest level and expanded the danger zone from 7 kilometers to 8 kilometers from the crater. Several airlines canceled flights between Australia and the Indonesian tourist island of Bali, while other international and domestic flights to the island were delayed.

Residents were warned to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano. An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in November 2022 killed nine people and injured dozens.

The 1,584-meter (5,197 foot) mountain is a twin volcano with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the Flores Timur district. Indonesia, an archipelago of 270 million people, experiences frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.