In brief
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupts, prompting a 7km exclusion zone and ongoing tremors, with past eruptions resulting in fatalities.
On Tuesday, Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted spectacularly, releasing an enormous ash cloud that shot over 11 kilometers into the sky, leading to the highest alert level being declared by officials. The eruption occurred at around 17:35 local time, affecting the popular tourist island of Flores. In response, a 7-kilometer exclusion zone has been established around the island’s peak, which stands at 1,584 meters high. So far, there are no reported injuries or damages from the eruption.The head of the country's geological agency, Muhammad Wafid, advised that no activities should occur within the set exclusion zone due to the danger of lahar floods that can occur after heavy rains on volcanic ash. Residents near the area have been urged to wear face masks to shield themselves from the falling ash. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency has reported evacuations in at least one nearby village, while ash fallout has been observed in other communities not directly within the exclusion zone. Officials have encouraged those in the vicinity to seek safety as tremors continue, indicating the volcano's activity is far from over. This isn’t the first time Mount Lewotobi has caused concern; it erupted multiple times last November, resulting in nine fatalities and the evacuation of thousands. The volcano, known locally, has a twin named Perempuan, which translates to "woman."
