Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted twice on Monday, shooting volcanic material as high as 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the atmosphere, blanketing nearby villages in ash and prompting flight disruptions.
No injuries or deaths were immediately reported. The volcano, located on Flores Island, has remained at its highest alert level since a June 18 eruption, with the exclusion zone expanded to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius due to increased activity.
According to Indonesia’s Geology Agency, pyroclastic flows — a mix of burning gas, rocks, and lava — surged up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) down the mountain’s slopes. Drone footage also showed lava filling the crater, signaling intense magma movement and triggering seismic activity.
The massive ash column, which erupted shortly after 11:00 a.m. local time (0305 GMT), was the highest recorded since the deadly November 2024 eruption that claimed nine lives and injured dozens. The volcano had also shown activity earlier this year in March.
