Cliff Notes
- Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in Indonesia erupted, releasing a cloud of ash reaching 6.8 miles high, visible from cities up to 90 miles away.
- Authorities raised the volcano’s alert level to the highest designation, expanding the danger zone to five miles due to concerns about heavy rainfall potentially triggering lava flows.
- Previous eruptions have caused casualties and flight disruptions; it is currently unclear how this eruption will affect air travel.
Volcano erupts in Indonesia, unleashing 6.8 miles-high ash cloud | World News
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A volcano has erupted in Indonesia, unleashing a massive cloud of hot ash.
The Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano spewed a towering 6.8 miles-high cloud of ash into the air.
The mushroom-shaped cloud could be seen from cities located up to 90 miles from the mountain in the East Nusa Tenggara province.
The eruption on Tuesday afternoon caused authorities to raise the alert level of the volcano to the most dangerous, and warning of heavy rainfall potentially triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano.
The danger zone was expanded to about five miles from the crater following significant volcanic activity.
No casualties have been reported.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki last erupted in May, with authorities raising the alert level to the most severe.
An eruption in November killed nine and injured dozens, while one in March caused flight disruptions and cancellations for flights to Bali.
It is not yet clear whether Tuesday’s eruption will affect flights.
The 5,197 ft-high mountain is a twin volcano with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the Flores Timur district.
They are part of Indonesia’s 120 active volcanoes sitting along the so-called Ring of Fire, which is a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines in the Pacific Basin, causing frequent volcanic activity in the region.
