Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in Indonesia erupted once more on Wednesday, spewing massive ash and smoke plumes that led to evacuations and flight cancellations, including those involving Bali, a popular tourist destination.
Several eruptions between Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon sent ash soaring up to 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) into the atmosphere. A particularly intense eruption Tuesday afternoon produced a mushroom-shaped ash cloud reaching 10,000 meters (about 32,800 feet), visible from as far as 150 kilometers (nearly 93 miles) away.
The volcanic alert was raised to the highest level, with authorities expanding the danger zone to 8 kilometers (about 5 miles) from the crater. To avoid falling debris, officials evacuated staff from the monitoring post located 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) from the volcano’s summit. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported.
Ashfall affected several villages outside the designated danger zone, including Boru, Hewa, and Watobuku. Residents from Nurabelen village in Ile Bura subdistrict fled to evacuation centers in Konga, and some moved to Nileknoheng village, which is 12 kilometers (7.4 miles) from the crater, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
The eruption caused widespread disruption to air travel. Dozens of flights Wednesday were canceled, notably those connecting Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport to Australia, Malaysia, India, and China, due to the risk volcanic ash poses to aircraft engines. Flights to and from the airport in Labuan Bajo, another key tourist hub in Flores Island, also faced cancellations; however, the airport remains operational.
Travelers faced significant delays and cancellations. Air New Zealand canceled a return trip to Auckland and planned to rebook affected passengers on the next available flight. Similarly, Jetstar, which operates daily services between Bali and Australian cities, forecasted the ash cloud would clear by late Wednesday, allowing resumption of flights. Other cancellations included services to New Delhi, Singapore, and Pudong, China, per Bali’s Denpasar airport website.
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki is a twin volcano, with a height of 1,584 meters (5,197 feet), situated in the district of Flores Timur. Its ongoing activity continues to impact local communities and the tourism industry in the region.
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