A powerful volcanic eruption from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in eastern Indonesia has forced dozens of flight cancellations to and from Bali, as the country raises its disaster alert to the highest level.
The 1,584-metre twin-peaked volcano, located on the island of Flores east of Bali, erupted dramatically at 5:35 p.m. local time on Tuesday. According to Indonesia’s volcanology agency, the eruption sent a thick grey ash column soaring approximately 10,000 metres into the sky.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or structural damage, but authorities quickly moved to respond. The head of Indonesia’s Geology Agency, Muhammad Wafid, urged residents and tourists to stay at least 7 kilometres away from the crater and warned of potential lahar floods, dangerous flows of mud and volcanic debris, should heavy rainfall follow.
Flights in and out of Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport were disrupted, although the airport itself remained operational. Virgin Australia cancelled routes between Brisbane, Melbourne, and Bali, while Jetstar grounded four flights from Australia. Qantas said it was monitoring the situation closely, with flights still scheduled later in the day.
Cancelled flights over volcanic ash cloud
Air New Zealand cancelled two flights between Auckland and Bali, citing safety concerns due to the volcanic ash cloud. Singapore’s TigerAir, China’s Juneyao Airlines, and Air India also scrapped flights according to Bali’s airport website. Domestic carrier AirAsia cancelled several flights to Labuan Bajo, a popular jumping-off point for Komodo Island.
“Ngurah Rai is still operating normally, but some flights are cancelled due to the volcano,” a Bali airport customer service agent told AFP. “It depends on the route and the airline.”
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed that at least one village had been evacuated and ash rain was falling on several communities outside the exclusion zone. Spokesman Abdul Muhari advised residents to wear face masks and prepare for further evacuations, as tremors indicated continued volcanic activity.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, whose name means “man” in Indonesian, shares its twin peak with the taller and typically less active Mount Perempuan, or “woman.” The Laki-Laki volcano previously erupted in November, killing nine people, displacing thousands, and disrupting international air traffic to Bali.
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, sits atop the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is home to more than 120 active volcanoes. Seismic and volcanic activity is a constant threat in the region.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation and have not ruled out further eruptions in the coming days.
