Karmactive Staff
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano erupted Tuesday afternoon, shooting a towering ash cloud 6.8 miles into the sky above Indonesia’s Flores island. The thick gray column formed a mushroom shape that people could see from cities up to 93 miles away.
Indonesian authorities immediately raised the alert to the highest danger level and told everyone to stay at least 5 miles from the crater. The eruption happened at 5:35 PM local time, creating what officials called a “thick intensity” ash cloud reaching 32,800 feet above the mountain’s peak.
This marks another major eruption for the troublesome volcano. In November 2024, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki killed nine people and injured dozens when it erupted multiple times. That disaster forced thousands to evacuate their homes as molten lava flowed through villages. The November eruption also grounded dozens of international flights to Bali, stranding thousands of travelers.
Earlier this year in March, another eruption caused flight cancellations and disruptions to Bali’s busy airport. Aviation authorities worry about volcanic ash because it can damage airplane engines and create dangerous flying conditions.
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The 5,197-foot mountain sits alongside its twin volcano, Mount Lewotobi Perempuan. Their names mean “man” and “woman” in Indonesian. Both volcanoes rest on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province, about 500 miles east of Bali.
Officials warn that heavy rainfall could trigger dangerous lahar floods – fast-moving mixtures of volcanic debris, mud, and water that can destroy everything in their path. Muhammad Wafid from Indonesia’s Geology Agency told residents near rivers flowing from the volcano to stay alert.
Before Tuesday’s eruption, scientists noticed unusual activity. Volcanic tremors jumped from the normal 8-10 per day to 50 tremors in just two hours, signaling something big was building underground.
Indonesia experiences frequent volcanic activity because it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several massive underground plates meet and shift. The country has 120 active volcanoes scattered across its islands, making eruptions a constant threat for its 270 million residents.
