Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi erupts for second day, villages blanketed in ash VIDEO

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in south-central Indonesia has erupted for a second consecutive day, covering nearby villages in thick volcanic ash and forcing residents to wear masks to protect themselves from the choking dust.

The early morning eruption on July 8 sent lava flows and ash clouds rising up to four kilometres (2.4 miles) into the sky, following the July 7 dramatic volcanic activity, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

On July 7, a midday blast propelled volcanic material as high as 18 kilometres (11 miles), while an evening eruption sent lava and ash plumes reaching 13 kilometres (8 miles) high, creating a massive mushroom-shaped ash cloud.

Motorists faced significant difficulties navigating roads due to severely reduced visibility caused by the dense ash. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency confirmed there were no casualties reported from the recent eruptions.

The volcano has been on its highest alert level since June 18, with the exclusion zone expanded to a seven-kilometre (4.3-mile) radius to safeguard residents.

Initial assessments by the local disaster management agency report that the eruptions have affected more than 10,000 people across 10 villages in East Flores and Sikka districts.

By Khagan Isayev