Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted late Sunday night, November 3, killing at least ten people and forcing authorities to evacuate more than 16,000 residents from surrounding villages.
The volcanic explosion sent thick brownish ash approximately 6,500 feet into the air, with volcanic material reaching up to 3.7 miles from the crater. The eruption triggered power outages and was accompanied by heavy rain and lightning, causing panic among residents in the affected areas.
Among the victims was Sister Nikolin Padjo, a Catholic nun serving in Hokeng village. Another nun remains missing, according to Agusta Palma, head of Saint Gabriel Foundation, which oversees convents on the island. The eruption damaged the San Dominggo Hokeng Middle Seminary and injured several seminarians.
As of Tuesday morning, authorities had evacuated approximately 2,472 of the 16,086 residents from eight villages, with efforts hampered by thick volcanic ash covering roads. The disaster damaged about 2,384 houses and at least 25 schools in the region.
Heronimus Lamawuran, a local official, confirmed the eruption has affected seven villages. The local government declared a state of emergency for 58 days, enabling the central government to provide aid to affected residents.
The Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the volcano’s status to the highest alert level and established a four-mile exclusion zone around the crater. Four small airports on Flores Island, including the nearest facility in Maumere, suspended operations due to safety concerns.
Indonesia’s disaster agency warned of potential flash floods and cold lava flows in the coming days. The country’s geology agency attributed the eruption to pressure buildup caused by a magma blockage in the crater.
The eruption marks Indonesia’s second volcanic event in two weeks, following the October 27 eruption of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province. Indonesia, home to 120 active volcanoes, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region of high seismic activity created by multiple tectonic plates.
Earlier this year, Mount Ibu on Halmahera island and Ruang volcano in North Sulawesi also erupted, leading to mass evacuations. In May, flash floods and cold lava flows from Mount Marapi resulted in more than 60 fatalities.