Bali: Air travel has been heavily disrupted and residents evacuated after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted on the island of Flores, sending an ash plume over 11 kilometres high into the atmosphere.
In response to the eruption, Indonesia’s volcanology agency raised the alert status to its highest level and urged residents to keep at least 7 kilometres away from the crater for safety.
The eruption has impacted international and domestic flights, with airlines including Air India, Air New Zealand, Jetstar, Juneyao Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Australia cancelling multiple flights to and from Bali. Domestic carrier AirAsia also cancelled several services to Flores. Authorities at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport reported more than 20 flight cancellations linked to the volcanic ash cloud.
Evacuations have begun in nearby villages, with reports of ash rain affecting areas beyond the exclusion zone. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency confirmed at least one village evacuation and advised residents to use face masks to protect against falling ash.
Officials have warned of the risk of lahar floods — dangerous flows of volcanic debris — especially if heavy rain hits the region. Tremors continue to be recorded, suggesting that volcanic activity is ongoing.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, which shares a twin peak with the more dormant Mount Perempuan, last erupted in May and had a deadly series of eruptions last November, causing fatalities and mass displacements.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ and is home to more than 120 active volcanoes, making volcanic eruptions and seismic activity a regular threat.
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