Indonesia Raises Alert to Maximum as Volcano Erupts

Indonesia has issued its highest-level volcanic alert after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, erupted on Tuesday, hurling a massive ash cloud more than 11 kilometers into the sky.The eruption began at 17:35 local time (10:35 BST), according to the country’s volcanology agency, with thick volcanic ash rising above the island of Flores, a popular tourist destination. Authorities have established a 7-kilometer exclusion zone around the crater of the 1,584-meter-high volcano, which is part of a twin-peaked formation.So far, no casualties or property damage have been reported.Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted several times in November 2024, killing nine people and displacing thousands. Those eruptions also caused major flight disruptions.Muhammad Wafid, head of Indonesia’s geology agency, warned the public to avoid all activities within the exclusion zone and cautioned about possible lahar flows — dangerous mud and debris slides — especially during heavy rain. He also urged residents to wear masks to guard against inhaling volcanic ash.The National Disaster Mitigation Agency confirmed that at least one nearby village had been evacuated, while ashfall was reported in several other communities beyond the exclusion zone. Tremors are still being detected, indicating the volcano remains active.Lewotobi Laki-Laki most recently erupted in May 2025, prompting a similar high-level alert. The volcano is paired with a slightly taller but less volatile peak called Lewotobi Perempuan — “Perempuan” meaning “woman” and “Laki-Laki” meaning “man” in Indonesian.The government continues to monitor the situation closely as the region remains on high alert.