Indonesia Volcano Eruption Leaves at Least Six Dead
MAUMERE, Indonesia — Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency reported on Monday that at least six people have died due to a series of volcanic eruptions on the remote island of Flores.
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, which occurred shortly after midnight on Monday, released a thick plume of brownish ash reaching heights of 2,000 meters (6,500 feet). Hot ash rained down on a nearby village, resulting in the destruction of several homes, including a convent belonging to Catholic nuns, according to Firman Yosef, an official at the Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki monitoring post.
The Disaster Management Agency revised the earlier reported death toll of nine, citing updated information received from local authorities. The agency stated that they are still gathering information regarding the extent of casualties and damage, as local media reports indicated that additional individuals were buried in collapsed houses.
Authorities responded to the series of eruptions, which began last week, by increasing the danger level and expanding the danger zone around Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki on Monday.
Following the escalation in eruption frequency after midnight on Monday, the country’s volcano monitoring agency elevated the volcano’s alert status to the highest level and significantly expanded the exclusion zone to a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius.
The agency reported that at least 10,000 individuals have been affected by the eruption in Wulanggitang District, specifically in the six nearby villages of Pululera, Nawokote, Hokeng Jaya, Klatanlo, Boru, and Boru Kedang.
In Ile Bura District, four villages were affected: Dulipali Village, Nobo, Nurabelen, and Riang Rita. Similarly, in Titehena District, four villages experienced impact: Konga Village, Kobasoma, Bokang Wolomatang, and Watowara.
Yosef noted that volcanic material was ejected up to 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) from the crater, blanketing nearby villages and towns with significant amounts of volcanic debris and forcing residents to evacuate.
Agusta Palma, head of the Saint Gabriel Foundation, which oversees convents on the predominantly Catholic island, confirmed that a nun in Hokeng village perished, while another remains missing.
“Our nuns fled in panic under a rain of volcanic ash in the darkness,” Palma said.
Images and videos shared on social media depicted large quantities of volcanic debris covering homes up to their rooftops in villages like Hokeng, where hot volcanic material ignited fires in houses.
This marks Indonesia’s second volcanic eruption in as many weeks. On October 27, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra province, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, erupted, releasing thick columns of ash on at least three occasions and coating nearby villages with debris. However, no casualties were reported from this event.