Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki: Indonesian volcano erupts, highest alert level raised

Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has erupted, shooting volcanic ash 10km into the sky and forcing authorities to raise the alert system to its highest level.

Located in East Nusa Tenggara province, the volcano erupted on Wednesday for around nine minutes, the country’s Geological Agency said in a statement.

Lewotobi also erupted two hours before, sending a large plume of volcanic ash into the air.

The agency raised its alert level to the highest point after recording “significant rising of the volcano’s activities” since Monday, its head, Muhammad Wafid, said.

“People living near the volcano should be aware of the potential volcanic mudflow if heavy rain occurs,” Wafid said, adding that people should clear a six- to seven-kilometre area around the site.

The volcano last erupted in August. It also erupted in July, causing flight disruptions to and from the nearby resort island of Bali.

Dozens of people living in villages nearest to the volcano were evacuated after the eruptions, according to Avelina Manggota Hallan, an official at the local disaster mitigation agency.

Most of the residents left their villages after Lewotobi Laki-laki’s major eruption, which killed 10 people and damaged thousands of houses in November 2024, Hallan added.

The government has closed Fransiskus Xaverius Seda airport, located in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara province, until Thursday, the airport operator said in a post on social media.

Indonesia, which has more than 120 active volcanoes, sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic activity that is atop multiple tectonic plates.

A Virgin spokesperson said the latest eruption had not caused any disruption to flights.

Qantas has been contacted for comment.