JAKARTA, Indonesia — Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted for the second day in a row, sending plumes of ash and volcanic materials soaring up to 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the air on Saturday morning. This eruption blanketed nearby villages with debris, but thankfully, there have been no reported casualties.
The previous eruption on Friday night sent ash clouds up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) high, lighting up the sky with glowing lava and flashes of lightning. Both eruptions occurred in less than five hours, showing the volcano’s unpredictable nature.
Indonesia’s Geology Agency reported that powerful gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava rushed down the volcano’s slopes, reaching up to 5 kilometers (3 miles). Drone footage revealed significant magma movement, causing tremors that were detected by seismic instruments.
Volcanic debris, including hot gravel, was launched up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater, covering nearby communities in thick ash. Residents were urged to stay alert, particularly regarding heavy rain that could lead to lava flows in local rivers.
This eruption ranks among Indonesia’s largest since the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi, which took a devastating toll, claiming over 350 lives and forcing many to evacuate.
The activity at Lewotobi Laki Laki, located on the remote island of Flores, comes less than a month after a major eruption on July 7 disrupted dozens of flights at Bali’s Ngurah Rai Airport and covered roads and rice fields in mud and rocks, highlighting the ongoing volcanic threats in the region.
With eruptions becoming more frequent, the government has raised the alert level for Lewotobi Laki Laki and expanded the exclusion zone to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius. Thousands of residents have been permanently relocated after previous eruptions caused fatalities and widespread destruction.
Indonesia, home to more than 280 million people, is one of the world’s most seismically active countries. With 120 active volcanoes, it lies along the “Ring of Fire,” a chain of tectonic fault lines encircling the Pacific Ocean, making it vulnerable to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.
