Ash Cloud
A volcano in eastern Indonesia, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, erupted again on Saturday, sending a massive ash plume soaring to an altitude of nine kilometers (over five miles) into the sky.
This eruption followed closely behind another eruption earlier in the week, which resulted in the tragic loss of nine lives and the evacuation of thousands of residents from nearby areas.
Located on the tourist island of Flores, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki stands at 1,703 meters (5,587 feet) and features twin peaks. The volcano has been highly active, erupting multiple times throughout the week, with the first major eruption occurring on Monday.
In addition to the fatalities, the eruption on Monday forced large-scale evacuations as local authorities responded to the threat posed by the ash and volcanic activity.
The Indonesian volcanology agency reported that Saturday’s eruption produced a significant ash column, rising approximately 9,000 meters above the summit. The ash cloud was described as grey with intense thickness.
The eruption, which began at 04:47 local time (2047 GMT), had no immediate reports of damage to nearby villages, but it has raised ongoing concerns about the potential for more dangerous events.
Authorities have issued warnings, urging residents to stay vigilant for the possibility of “cold lava floods” as heavy rainfall is expected to follow the eruption.
On Friday, another powerful eruption prompted officials to evacuate personnel at a nearby monitoring post as ash and small rocks fell from the sky.
The eruption on Thursday had already sent an ash tower eight kilometers high, an event locals described as one of the largest eruptions they had witnessed.
Over 10,000 people have been impacted by the eruptions, with officials urging residents to permanently relocate from a designated eight-kilometer exclusion zone surrounding the volcano.
The head of Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, Suharyanto, confirmed that authorities would temporarily house evacuees and provide funding to help relocate families while new homes are being constructed.
Suharyanto emphasized the challenge of relocating so many people and noted that the planning process would take time, but efforts would be made to expedite the construction of new homes.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, whose name translates to “man” in Indonesian, is paired with a calmer nearby volcano called Lewotobi Perempuan, which means “woman” in Indonesian.
Indonesia is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for its frequent seismic and volcanic activity, making the country prone to natural disasters such as these eruptions.
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