In brief
At least 10 people have died following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia, which has left villages in flames and prompted urgent evacuations. The local government has declared a state of emergency as fires and ash continue to disrupt the lives of thousands.
At least 10 people have died due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, a volcanic peak located on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. The eruption occurred in the early hours of Monday, with the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMG) reporting the event at 23:57 local time. Rejecting residents surrounding the volcano, fiery lava and rocks erupted, impacting nearby villages about 4 kilometers (two miles) from the crater and resulting in extensive damage and destruction of homes. Local officials reported that seven villages have been severely affected by the eruption, leading to the declaration of the volcano at its highest alert level. Residents residing within a 7km (four-mile) radius have been instructed to evacuate urgently.Eyewitness accounts and video footage revealed scenes of chaos, including people being engulfed by ash, homes ablaze, and the landscape marred by volcanic debris. Hadi Wijaya, spokesperson for PVMG, stated that "incandescent material" ejected from the volcano has caused numerous fires in residential zones. The local government has initiated evacuations to shelters located approximately 20 kilometers (13 miles) away from the volcano.Authorities have also issued warnings about potential flash floods and hazardous lava flows in the days to come as the eruption continues. A state of emergency has been declared for the next 58 days, which allows central government assistance to aid approximately 10,000 residents adversely impacted by the disaster.Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has presented ongoing volcanic activity since last December and has been a source of significant disruption to local economies. Many farmers, particularly those in the cashew nut industry, are voicing concerns about their ruined crops due to the considerable ashfall. Living near active volcanoes is common in Indonesia, which has roughly 130 active volcanoes, part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire,” a region known for its significant seismic activity.
