Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Spews Ash Plume 18km High

Last Updated:August 02, 2025, 17:55 IST

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia erupted again, sending ash 18 km high. No casualties reported, alert level raised.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki spewing lava and volcanic ash up to approximately 10 kilometres high during its eruption as observed from the monitoring post in East Flores (AFP)

The Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano in south-central Indonesia has erupted for a second consecutive day, sending massive plumes of volcanic materials and hot ash up to 18 km (neraly 11 miles) into the sky on Saturday.

This eruption was one of Indonesia’s most powerful since 2010 when Mount Merapi—Indonesia’s most active volcano—erupted on the densely populated island of Java, killing over 350 people and forcing hundreds of thousands to flee, news agency AP reported.

There were no immediate reports of any casualties or damage and the alert level was raised. The residents have been asked to be vigilant about heavy rainfall that could trigger lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano.

Earlier on Friday, the volcano spewed a 10-kilometre (6.2-miles) molten plume of ash topped by lightning into the night sky, the news agency reported.

The 1,584-metre-high volcano on the tourist island of Flores, erupted at 20:48 pm (1248 GMT), the volcanology agency said in a statement.

The country’s geology agency recorded an avalanche of searing gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava traveling up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) down the slopes of the mountain.

Volcanic material, including hot thumb-sized gravel, was thrown up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the crater, covering nearby villages and towns with thick volcanic residue, the agency said.

Last month, the volcano spewed a colossal 18-kilometre tower of ash, scrapping 24 flights at Bali’s international airport.

The Lewotobi Laki Laki has been at the highest alert level since it erupted on June 18, and an exclusion zone has been doubled to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius as eruptions became more frequent.

The Indonesian government has permanently relocated thousands of residents after a series of eruptions there killed nine people and destroyed thousands of homes in November.

Indonesia is an archipelago of more than 280 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanoes and sits along the “Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

(With inputs from agencies)

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...

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Jakarta, Indonesia

First Published:

August 02, 2025, 17:55 IST

News world Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Spews Ash Plume 18km High

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