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By John Feng and Barney Henderson
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Lewotobi volcano has erupted in Indonesia, sending a cloud of fiery ash high into the sky.
The Indonesian government's volcanology department said it recorded the volcano unleashing more than 10,000 meters (33,000 feet) of thick clouds.
The huge mushroom-shaped cloud was visible up to 90 miles away.
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The eruption led to the emergency evacuation of hundreds of residents and the volcanology agency raising the alert to the highest level, warning of possible lava flows.
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It was not clear if any flights had been affected yet and there were no initial reports of any casualties.
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The government's volcanology department said in a statement: "The public and tourists are urged not to carry out activities within a radius of 6 km from the eruption center, and to remain calm and follow directions from the local government. The public is also asked not to trust information whose source is not clear.
"In addition, communities around disaster-prone areas should be aware of the potential for lava flooding in the event of heavy rain, especially in watersheds upstream at the top of G. Lewotobi Laki-Laki, such as in Dulipali, Nobo, Hokeng Jaya, and Nurabelen.
"Residents affected by the ash rain are encouraged to wear masks or nose and mouth coverings to protect the respiratory tract."
Standing at 1,584 meters (5,197 feet), Mount Lewotobi is one half of a twin volcano complex located in Indonesia's Flores Timur district. Its counterpart, Mount Lewotobi Perempuan, forms part of this closely linked volcanic pair.
Pacific Ring of Fire
Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago home to over 270 million people, sits atop the seismically volatile Pacific "Ring of Fire"—a vast arc of tectonic boundaries known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. With 120 active volcanoes across the nation, seismic activity remains a persistent threat.
Mount Lewotobi has shown increased activity since late 2023.
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November's Mount Lewotobi eruption grounded flights
In November 2024, international flights to and from Bali were grounded following a powerful eruption from Mount Lewotobi.
The eruption left thousands of travelers stranded at airports in Bali, Australia, and other nearby regions while airlines struggled to manage the massive ash cloud that blanketed the skies in Flores' East Nusa Tenggara province, around 500 miles east of Indonesia's most popular tourist island.
Nine people died and dozens more were injured from the initial blast on Nov. 4.
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