The Lewotobi Laiki-Laiki volcano, located on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, erupted multiple times on Tuesday evening, prompting authorities to issue the highest alert level possible.
The National Volcano Agency reported that the 1,584-meter tall volcano experienced its strongest eruption early Wednesday at 1:35 AM local time, sending volcanic materials soaring up to 10 kilometers above its summit.
During its initial eruption on Tuesday evening, the volcano emitted ash that reached a height of 9 kilometers.
This burst of activity followed the agency raising the volcanic alert level to the fourth grade on Tuesday evening, the highest tier within Indonesia’s four-level early warning system.
Agency director Muhammad Wafi advised both local residents and tourists to remain at least six kilometers away from the volcano’s crater and urged caution regarding potential mudflows or volcanic debris.
Wafi also warned that “ash emissions could disrupt flight operations and routes.”
Operations at Maumere Airport, situated 60 kilometers from the volcano and serving domestic flights, have been suspended.
The Lewotobi volcano previously erupted in July, producing a massive ash column that reached 18 kilometers, leading to the cancellation of approximately twenty flights at Bali Airport, around 800 kilometers to the west.
As an extensive archipelago, Indonesia frequently experiences seismic and volcanic activity due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire.”