Volcanic Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia spouts lava and massive ash plumes once more, reaching miles in distance.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, Indonesia's most active volcano on the island of Flores, has been at the highest level of volcanic alert since June 2025 due to ongoing eruptive activity. The volcano, one of Indonesia's 120 active volcanoes, has erupted several times recently, causing significant disruptions and raising concerns about potential hazards.
The latest eruptions include a major event on July 7, 2025, where an ash column reached 18 kilometers altitude, followed by continued eruptions through early August. The volcano has shown increased seismic activity and ground inflation since mid-2023, with an especially intense period in November 2024. These precursors led officials to raise the alert level well before the recent eruptions began.
On Saturday, the volcano erupted for a second straight day, sending a column of volcanic materials and ash up to 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky. An avalanche of searing gas clouds mixed with rocks and lava traveled up to 5 kilometers (3 miles) down the slopes of the mountain. Fortunately, no casualties were immediately reported following the Saturday eruption.
However, the eruptions have taken a toll on the region. Nine people have been killed and thousands of homes have been destroyed by eruptions at Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in November. To ensure the safety of the remaining residents, an exclusion zone around the volcano has been doubled to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius.
The impact of the ongoing activity has caused flight cancellations in the region due to ash clouds. The greatest risks remain volcanic ashfall affecting nearby villages, pyroclastic flows traveling down the slopes, and lahars during heavy rains, which pose threats to communities within several kilometers of the volcano.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-meter (5,197-foot) volcano, is located on the remote island of Flores. Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 280 million people, sits along the "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. As a result, the country experiences frequent seismic activity.
In response to the ongoing eruptions, the Indonesian government has permanently relocated thousands of residents due to the risks associated with Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki. Residents who remain in the area are advised to stay outside the exclusion zone and be prepared for rapid changes in volcanic behavior.
[1] Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Causing Evacuations and Flight Disruptions
[2] Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Eruption: What You Need to Know
[3] Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Killing Nine and Destroying Thousands of Homes
[4] Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Causing Flight Disruptions
[5] Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano Erupts, Causing Vigilance About Heavy Rainfall
[1] "The ongoing eruptions of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Asia have caused evacuations, flight disruptions, and raised concerns about potential hazards in the world, making it a significant topic in the fields of environmental science and health-and-wellness."
[2] "As a research topic, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki's environmental science provides valuable data on the impacts of volcanic eruptions on the health-and-wellness of communities and the broader environment."
