Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted early Wednesday, sending a massive ash column 10 kilometers into the sky and prompting authorities to raise the alert level to its highest stage. The eruption, which began at 1:35 a.m. local time, lasted around nine minutes and followed an earlier blast just two hours before. Officials from the Geological Agency confirmed the volcano has shown a sharp increase in activity since Monday, raising fears of further eruptions in the coming days.
The agency’s head, Muhammad Wafid, urged residents to remain alert and avoid areas within a six- to seven-kilometer radius of the volcano. He also warned of potential volcanic mudflows if heavy rainfall occurs, which could endanger nearby villages. Authorities have been closely monitoring the site’s tremors and gas emissions, noting that recent patterns suggest continued instability in the volcano’s activity.
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Dozens of residents from surrounding villages were evacuated following the eruption, officials said. Many locals had already been living cautiously after previous eruptions in July and August disrupted air travel and blanketed nearby towns in ash. The memory of a deadly eruption in November 2024, which killed ten people and destroyed thousands of homes, has kept communities on high alert as emergency services prepare for potential aftershocks and mudslides.
As a safety precaution, the government has temporarily closed Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara province, until Thursday. Flights to and from nearby regions, including the tourist island of Bali, are expected to face delays or cancellations due to ash clouds in the airspace. Authorities have advised airlines to avoid the affected zone and monitor updates from Indonesia’s air navigation agency.
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Indonesia is home to more than 120 active volcanoes and lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity. Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on the island of Flores, has erupted multiple times over the past year, underscoring the persistent geological risks in the country. Scientists continue to study the volcano’s recent activity to predict possible future eruptions and protect communities in the high-risk zone.