Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a volcano located on the island of Flores in eastern Indonesia, erupted once again today, sending a massive column of ash nearly 9 kilometers into the sky. This eruption comes just days after a series of blasts from the volcano killed nine people and prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents.
The 1,703-meter twin-peaked volcano, which has been highly active this week, first erupted on Monday, causing significant damage and loss of life. The latest eruption, which began at 4:47 a.m. local time, produced a dense grey ash cloud that rose approximately 9,000 meters above the summit, according to the country’s volcanology agency.
While there were no immediate reports of damage from Saturday’s eruption, the agency issued a warning for residents to stay vigilant, especially due to the risk of cold lava flows, which could be triggered by heavy rainfall in the area.
Earlier in the week, the volcano released another large ash column, reaching heights of 8 kilometers on Thursday, which locals described as one of the largest eruptions they had witnessed. On Friday, a nearby monitoring station had to be evacuated after ash and small rocks fell in the area.
To date, over 10,000 people have been affected by the volcanic activity, and officials have recommended that residents permanently relocate from the 8-kilometer exclusion zone surrounding the volcano. Authorities have pledged to provide temporary housing and financial support for displaced families while new homes are constructed.
Suharyanto, head of Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, emphasized the need for quick action, noting that while the relocation process would take time, efforts would be made to complete new housing as swiftly as possible.
The twin-peaked Lewotobi Laki-Laki, named after the Indonesian word for “man,” is paired with a calmer neighboring volcano known as Lewotobi Perempuan, which means “woman” in Indonesian.
Indonesia, situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is no stranger to frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position along tectonic plate boundaries.