JAKARTA, July 7 — A powerful eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia’s East Flores regency on Monday has triggered warnings of potential danger, as thick volcanic ash and falling pebbles threatened nearby communities.
The eruption came at 11.05 am local time, sending a towering ash column – grey to black in colour and of heavy intensity – 18 kilometres above the volcano’s 19,584-metre summit, with volcanic debris reported in the surrounding area.
The Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Observation Post confirmed the eruption was still ongoing, and advised residents on the mountain’s slopes to halt all activities and prepare for possible evacuation if conditions worsen.
“People affected by ashfall are advised to wear masks or cover their nose and mouth to avoid respiratory hazards caused by volcanic ash,” the report stated.
Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has raised the alert level to Level Four – the highest on the scale – and urged locals and tourists to avoid all activities within a six-kilometre radius of the crater and up to seven kilometres in the southwest to northeast sector.
