Indonesia’s Lewotobi volcano erupts at least six times VIDEO

Indonesia’s Lewotobi volcano on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province has erupted at least six times, sending ash clouds high into the atmosphere and prompting safety warnings for nearby communities.

According to the country’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, the activity was reported over recent monitoring periods and involved repeated explosive eruptions from the volcano, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Volcanic ash rose to around 1,500 metres above the crater of Lewotobi Laki-laki, or approximately 3,084 metres above sea level. Authorities said thick grey ash was spreading mainly toward the west and northwest.

Officials have urged residents and visitors to maintain a safety radius of at least five kilometres from the crater and to wear protective masks due to the risks posed by airborne ash.

Lewotobi is a twin-peaked volcano located in southeastern Flores. The more active cone, Lewotobi Laki-laki, sits beside the taller Lewotobi Perempuan.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent seismic and volcanic activity.

By Sabina Mammadli