Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Eruption in Indonesia Claims 10 Lives, Displaces Thousands

In the early hours of Monday, a powerful eruption from Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on Indonesia’s Flores Island led to tragedy and widespread devastation. At least 10 people, including a child, lost their lives, and thousands have been forced from their homes.

The eruption sent lava and rocks crashing into seven nearby villages, damaging homes and covering the area in thick ash, as reported by the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMG).

The eruption occurred at 23:57 local time, with fiery lava spewing over 4 kilometers from the crater and ash plumes rising 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) into the sky. The affected villages include Pululera, Nawokote, Hokeng Jaya, Klatanlo, Boru, and Boru Kedang, where the volcanic activity has forced over 10,000 residents to seek refuge in nearby areas.

Local officials have evacuated many to shelters around 20 kilometers from the eruption site, with schools serving as temporary housing for the displaced.

State of Emergency Declared

The Indonesian Disaster Management Agency, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB), declared a state of emergency for the next 58 days. This declaration enables further support from the central government to assist the impacted residents. The spokesperson for BNPB also issued a warning about potential flash floods and cold lava flows, adding another layer of concern for those affected by the disaster.

Video footage captured by eyewitnesses and shared with international media, including BBC News, reveals harrowing scenes of ash-covered residents, homes ablaze, and thick clouds of volcanic material blanketing the landscape. Hermanus Mite, a local hairdresser, shared his firsthand experience of the eruption with the AFP news agency. “I was asleep when suddenly the bed shook twice as if someone had slammed it. Then I realized the volcano had erupted, so I ran outside,” he recounted. “I saw flames coming out and immediately fled. There were ashes and stones everywhere. My salon also caught fire, and everything inside was lost.”

Following the eruption, the PVMG has raised Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki’s status to the highest alert level. An evacuation perimeter of 7 kilometers from the crater has been established to safeguard residents from further eruptions. The Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) has also raised the volcano’s status to “red,” the highest alert level, indicating a significant threat to aviation due to ash clouds.

The eruption adds to an ongoing pattern of volcanic activity in the region. Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has been erupting intermittently since last December, already forcing some residents to flee and damaging the local economy. Crops like cashews have been destroyed by the accumulation of volcanic ash, impacting local livelihoods.

Indonesia Has 130 Active Volcanos

Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is one of the most seismically active regions in the world. With approximately 130 active volcanoes, communities throughout the archipelago live in close proximity to these natural features, benefiting from the fertile soil while remaining vulnerable to frequent eruptions. In the aftermath of this latest eruption, the Indonesian government and local authorities are focusing on rescue efforts and providing aid to affected residents, while warnings remain in place for potential ongoing volcanic hazards.

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