MAUMERE, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano has been erupting violently, releasing significant amounts of hot ash into the atmosphere. The recent eruptions, which began earlier this week, have tragically resulted in the deaths of nine individuals and injured many others.
Following an initial eruption on Monday, volcanic activity on the remote island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province has escalated, prompting authorities to expand the evacuation and danger zones for residents nearby.
During a press conference, Hadi Wijaya, head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, shared that the volcano has registered its highest ash plume yet, reaching an altitude of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). On Friday, volcanic materials, including smoldering rocks and hot ashes, were reported to have been ejected up to 8 kilometers from the crater.
As of now, there have been no new casualties linked to the most recent eruption. However, the monitoring agency has raised Lewotobi Laki Laki’s alert status to its highest level, indicating a serious threat to surrounding communities.
Authorities conducted a review on Thursday, resulting in an expanded danger zone that now encompasses an 8-kilometer radius around the northwest and southwest slopes of the volcano, as ash clouds are dispersing widely. “We are still examining how far we need to extend this danger zone,” said Wijaya.
The volcanic eruptions have caused extensive damage, destroying schools, thousands of homes, and various religious buildings on the majority-Catholic island, including convents and a seminary. Local officials reported finding significant craters caused by falling rocks that were as wide as 13 meters (43 feet) and 5 meters deep.
Authorities have advised the thousands who fled to stay away from their homes, as plans are underway to evacuate approximately 16,000 residents out of the affected areas. The eruptions have impacted more than 10,000 people across ten villages, with over half being relocated to temporary shelters.
Kanesius Didimus, the head of a local disaster management agency, noted that a total of 2,384 houses and public facilities suffered damage or collapsed due to the intense volcanic activity, which also destroyed a key road connecting East Flores district to Larantuka district.
Rescue teams, including police and military personnel, are actively working to ensure that all residents have vacated the danger zone. They are also providing logistical support and relief supplies to nearly 6,000 displaced individuals at three evacuation sites.
The National Disaster Management Agency plans to relocate residents from the hardest-hit villages within six months. Families awaiting rehousing will receive monthly compensation of 500,000 rupiah ($32).
Earlier in January, around 6,500 people were evacuated due to volcanic activity from Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, which forced the closure of the island’s Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported at that time, but the airport remains non-operational due to ongoing seismic concerns. Three other airports—located in the nearby districts of Ende, Larantuka, and Bajawa—have also been closed since Monday as a precautionary measure after warnings were issued regarding flying ash.
Lewotobi Laki Laki, standing at 1,584 meters (5,197 feet), is one of two stratovolcanoes in the East Flores district, locally referred to as the “husband-and-wife mountains,” with its counterpart being Lewotobi Perempuan, meaning ‘woman.’ Indonesia, home to 280 million people, is highly susceptible to volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and landslides due to its position along the “Ring of Fire,” a globally recognized zone of tectonic activity.
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Karmini reported from Jakarta, Indonesia.
