Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted several times on Friday, sending volcanic ash up to 10 kilometers (32,800 feet) into the sky. This eruption follows a deadly eruption on Sunday night, which killed nine people. The volcano is located on the island of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province.
The eruption caused damage to more than 2,000 homes and forced thousands of people to leave their homes. Around 6,000 people from nearby areas, where more than 16,000 people live, were evacuated to safer villages. Local authorities are making sure the evacuees have enough food and masks, and the situation is under control.
Hadi Wijaya, the chief of Indonesia’s volcanology agency, said the eruption on Friday created a huge column of ash that reached 8 to 10 kilometers high. The volcano also sent hot gas and ash in all directions. The ash rain and sand-falls affected nearby areas, making the eruptions quite serious.
Indonesia is located in the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent volcanic activity and earthquakes because it sits atop several tectonic plates.
