Indonesian authorities raised the alert level to its highest stage on Wednesday after a powerful nighttime eruption of Mount Ili Lewotolok sent a massive column of volcanic ash soaring up to 10 kilometers into the sky over East Nusa Tenggara province.
The eruption, which began around 1:35 a.m. local time (17:35 GMT) and lasted about nine minutes, prompted emergency warnings and precautionary evacuations from villages surrounding the 1,584-meter-high volcano.
No casualties or property damage have been reported so far, but officials urged residents and tourists to stay at least seven kilometers away from the crater amid fears of further explosions and possible volcanic mudflows if heavy rains occur.
“The volcano has shown extremely high activity over the past days,” said Mohammad Wafid, head of Indonesia’s Geological Agency, explaining that the alert was raised late Tuesday to the maximum level. He warned nearby communities to remain vigilant for potential lahars.
Mount Ili Lewotolok has erupted several times in recent months — notably in July and August — disrupting flights to and from the nearby resort island of Bali. Local disaster management officials said dozens of villagers have temporarily left their homes following the latest eruption.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone where frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are part of daily life.
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