Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts, Sends 18km Ash Cloud, Raises Alert

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province erupted explosively, sending volcanic ash clouds 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky, marking its second major eruption in two weeks. The Indonesia Geology Agency raised the volcano's alert status to the highest level and expanded the exclusion zone to 6-7 kilometers, warning residents and tourists to keep their distance due to the risk of hazardous lava flows and lahar floods, especially if heavy rain occurs. Despite the powerful eruption and ash fallout, there were no immediate reports of casualties or flight cancellations following the latest event, with Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport reportedly operating normally. The volcano, a twin peak with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan, has a history of frequent eruptions, including one in November that killed at least nine people and forced thousands of evacuations. Japanese officials have been monitoring the situation for potential tsunami risks due to atmospheric pressure changes, though no tsunami has been confirmed. Indonesia, located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, frequently experiences seismic activity with over 120 active volcanoes.