Thousands flee as Indonesian volcano spews ash 11 miles into the air
A volcano in Indonesia has erupted twice, causing thousands to flee their homes.
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted with its most powerful blast since November.
On Monday (July 7), the volcano launched a towering ash cloud 18km (11 miles) into the atmosphere, resulting in authorities raising alert levels to maximum.
How severe is Indonesia's latest eruption?
Situated on Flores Island, the 5,197-foot mountain has been at the highest alert level since an eruption on 18 June. Officials have doubled the exclusion zone to a 4.3-mile radius as eruptions have become more frequent.
According to Indonesia’s Geology Agency chief Muhammad Wafid, the eruption reached Leotobi's most powerful since November.
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“An eruption of that size certainly carries a higher potential for danger, including its impact on aviation,” Wafid said.
The Monday morning explosion was just the beginning. The volcano erupted again that evening at 7:30 PM local time, hurling ash and lava 13 kilometers into the air. An avalanche of heated gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava, as per the agency.
Social media footage shows the glowing red lava cascading three miles down the volcano's slopes while residents frantically load into buses and trucks to escape the advancing threat. Drone observations also revealed lava filling the crater..
A third eruption followed early Tuesday at reduced intensity. No casualties have yet been reported but officials are deeply concerned about the potential for escalating danger in the coming days.
What's the impact of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki's eruption?
More than 4,000 people have already been evacuated from the danger zone, with local disaster officials coordinating a massive emergency response.
For those remaining in nearby communities, conditions are becoming increasingly desperate. Paulus Sony Sang Tukan, who leads Pululera village located just 8 kilometres from the crater, describes severe shortages of essential supplies like food, clean water and protective masks.
“Water is still available, but there’s concern about its cleanliness and whether it has been contaminated since our entire area was blanketed in thick volcanic ash,” he said.
How far has the danger spread?
Local authorities have expanded the exclusion zone to a 7-kilometer radius around the volcano.
This is due to the potential lahar flows, which are hazardous mudslides formed when volcanic debris mixes with water, which is likely to occur if heavy rain falls. At least 24 flights in and out of Bali, just west of Flores, were cancelled on Monday (July 7) as volcanic ash drifted into flight paths.
Why does Indonesia experience so many eruptions?
Indonesia is located on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire', which makes it one of the world's most volcanically active regions. There are 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia alone due to the constant shifting and colliding of tectonic plates beneath the archipelago, triggering earthquakes as a result.
While no deaths have been reported from this eruption, a previous eruption in November killed at least ten people and displaced thousands.
Emergency teams remain on high alert as the eruption continues and ash clouds drift across the region, potentially putting more communities at threat.