Ash interruption: Passengers checking an information board showing flights cancelled due to the eruption at Ngurah Rai International Airport on the resort island of Bali. — AP/AFP
The Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano in south-central Indonesia erupted three times, sending an ash column 8,000m (26,200 feet) high, and prompting authorities to expand the danger zone around the volcano.
The volcano on the remote island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province has had hundreds of earthquakes, and visible volcanic activity has significantly increased in the last seven days.
An eruption followed by an explosion was heard Thursday evening as far away as Larantuka and Maumere, two cities about 50km to 85km from the volcano.
The eruption was recorded at several monitoring stations on Flores island, Muhammad Wafid, chief of Indonesia’s Geology Agency, said yesterday.
There were two other eruptions, and smaller activity occurred during the day. Smoke blew around the crater with weak to moderate pressure, and firelight was seen at the peak, indicating the glowing volcanic material was at a shallow depth.
Authorities raised the eruption alert to the highest level and expanded the danger zone from 7km to 8km from the crater. No new evacuations were ordered.
Two villagers cleaning volcanic ash from the road in Riangrita village, East Nusa Tenggara, after the volcano erupted. — AP/AFP
Several airlines cancelled flights between Australia and the tourist island of Bali, while other international and domestic flights to the island have been delayed.
Residents were warned to be vigilant about heavy rainfall triggering lava flows in rivers originating from the volcano, Indonesia’s geology agency said in a statement.
An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in November killed nine people and injured dozens.
The 1,584m (5,197 foot) mountain is a twin volcano with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan in the Flores Timur district.
Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanos and sits along the “Ring of Fire”, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin. — AP
