Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki unleashes towering columns of hot clouds
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano continues to wreak havoc on the remote island of Flores, in East Nusa Tenggara province, days after a massive eruption claimed the lives of nine people and left dozens injured. The volcano has been showing increased activity since Monday’s initial eruption, with authorities expanding the danger zone as the volcano erupted once again on Thursday.
The most recent eruption on Saturday saw towering columns of hot ash being spewed high into the air, reaching up to 5.6 miles. This came after Friday’s activity, which recorded the largest column of ash so far at 6.2 miles high. Hadi Wijaya, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, reported that volcanic materials, including smoldering rocks, lava, and hot fragments of gravel and ash, were ejected as far as 5 miles from the crater.
Fortunately, there were no casualties reported from the latest eruption. However, authorities have raised the alert status of Lewotobi Laki Laki to the highest level and expanded the danger zone to a radius of 5 miles on the northwest and southwest sides of the mountain slope. The volcano monitoring agency stated that hot clouds of ash are currently spreading in all directions, prompting further evaluation of the danger zone radius.
The volcanic activity has taken a toll on the island, damaging schools, thousands of houses, and buildings including convents, churches, and a seminary. Craters left by falling rocks from the eruptions were found to be up to 43 feet wide and 16 feet deep. The government has issued warnings for the thousands of people who evacuated the area not to return home, with plans to evacuate about 16,000 residents out of the danger zone.
Rescue workers, police, and soldiers are conducting search and rescue operations in the devastated areas to ensure the safety of all residents. Logistic and relief supplies have been provided to over 10,700 displaced people in eight evacuation sites as of Saturday. The National Disaster Management Agency has announced that residents of the hardest-hit villages will be relocated within six months, with each family receiving monthly compensation.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, one of the 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, has been a cause for concern since January when it began erupting, leading to the evacuation of 6,500 people. The volcanic activity has forced the closure of several airports in neighboring districts due to safety concerns posed by volcanic ash. Indonesia, sitting along the “Ring of Fire,” a region prone to earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity, remains vigilant in monitoring and responding to natural disasters.
