Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted again on Thursday, November 7th, in a significantly larger event than the one that claimed nine lives and injured dozens just three days prior.
While there have been no immediate reports of casualties from the latest eruption, the 1,584-meter volcano on Flores Island unleashed multiple powerful eruptions, with the largest plume of ash soaring to an astonishing 8,000 meters into the sky.
Photos captured the panic and fear among residents and schoolchildren as they fled the erupting volcano. Many described Thursday’s eruption as the most severe they had ever witnessed.
“This is the first time I’ve seen such a massive eruption since I moved to Lewolaga village,” said Anastasia Adriyani, a 41-year-old local. “I was terrified.”
The volcano had shown reduced activity following Monday’s deadly eruption, which impacted over 10,000 people across 10 villages. The eruption caused significant damage, destroying schools, homes, and a convent.
Volcanic debris, including scorching rocks, lava, and hot ash, was ejected up to 7 kilometers from the crater. Officials observed large craters, some reaching 13 meters in diameter and 5 meters in depth, formed by falling rocks.
Wijaya, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, noted that the latest eruption differed from the January eruption, which primarily involved lava flows. The agency is currently analyzing the volcano’s changing behavior to inform government decisions on safe relocation sites for affected residents.
As a precautionary measure, the local government has closed the road connecting Maumere to Larantuka, as it passes through the volcano’s danger zone.
