Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on Flores Island erupted violently late last night, spewing fiery lava and rocks over nearby villages and displacing thousands of residents as Indonesia’s disaster agency issued the highest-level alert and declared a state of emergency.
The sudden eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki at 23:57 local time has sent shockwaves through Flores Island, as the Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMG) confirmed that flaming rocks and lava have damaged homes within a 4km radius of the crater. PVMG spokesperson Hadi Wijaya reported that fires broke out in several residential areas, with video footage showing homes ablaze, ash-covered residents, and severe damage to infrastructure across seven nearby villages.
The intensity of the eruption prompted PVMG to raise the volcano’s status to its highest alert level, ordering the evacuation of all residents within a 7km radius. “We have started evacuating residents this morning to safer areas located about 20km from the crater,” said Heronimus Lamawuran, a local official overseeing the emergency efforts.
In response, the local government has declared a 58-day state of emergency, which will allow central authorities to provide aid to the approximately 10,000 residents impacted by the disaster.
In addition to lava flows, officials warn that heavy rain could combine with volcanic material to create deadly flash floods and cold lava flows in the coming days.
This situation is especially dire for those who rely on the region’s fertile land. Cashew farmers, who have already endured volcanic disruptions since last December, now face the prospect of yet another lost season due to ash blanketing their crops, while hundreds of displaced residents are currently taking refuge in makeshift shelters and schools.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is one of two volcanic peaks on Flores Island and has been intermittently active throughout the past year. The prolonged volcanic activity has strained the local economy, a situation exacerbated by Flores Island’s position along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone with numerous tectonic plates. Indonesia, which has around 130 active volcanoes, faces constant volcanic risk as communities settle close to these fertile slopes.
As emergency relief efforts continue, Indonesian authorities are preparing for ongoing disruptions, with residents hoping for swift recovery aid to mitigate the disaster’s impact.
