A volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted overnight, resulting in the deaths of at least ten individuals as it released fireballs and ash onto nearby villages, according to officials, who have since elevated its alert status to the maximum level.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-meter twin volcano situated on the popular tourist island of Flores, first erupted just before midnight, leading authorities to evacuate multiple villages.
Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the nation’s disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), confirmed the fatalities during a press conference, stating that 10,295 people had been impacted by the eruptions.
Images received by AFP depicted villages neighboring the volcano blanketed in thick ash, with several areas ablaze.
Some wooden homes were engulfed in flames, and the ground was dotted with craters created by flying molten rock.
The crater erupted shortly before midnight and again at 1:27 AM and 2:48 AM, as reported by the country’s volcanology agency.
A collapsed building is visible in Klatanlo village following the eruption.
The alert level has been raised to the maximum, with locals and tourists advised to refrain from activities within a seven-kilometer zone of the crater.
“There has been a substantial increase in volcanic activity at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki,” the agency stated in a press release.
It shared images illustrating roofs of houses that had collapsed due to the impact of volcanic rocks, along with residents seeking shelter in communal buildings.
Ash rainfall
The volcanology agency cautioned about the risk of rain-induced lava flows and advised residents to use masks to mitigate the effects of volcanic ash.
There were a series of eruptions at the volcano last week, the largest occurring on Thursday, which sent an ash plume 2,000 meters into the atmosphere.
Members of a rescue team are searching for victims.
Earlier this year, the mountain experienced several major eruptions in January, prompting authorities to raise the alert status to the highest level once more and evacuate at least 2,000 residents.
Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago country, encounters frequent eruptions due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for heightened volcanic and seismic activity.
In December of last year, an eruption at one of the country’s most active volcanoes, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, claimed the lives of at least 24 climbers, primarily university students.
In May, more than 60 individuals lost their lives after heavy rains transported volcanic debris from Marapi into residential areas, resulting in devastated homes.
That same month, Mount Ruang in North Sulawesi province erupted several times, causing thousands of residents from nearby islands to evacuate.
