Mt Lewotobi erupts again, triggers flight warning in eastern Indonesia

JAKARTA, July 11 — Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted again this afternoon, prompting a flight warning, said the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, reported Xinhua.

The eruption occurred at 2.10pm local time, sending a column of ash 4km into the sky. Thick gray clouds drifted to the west and northwest from the crater.

To mitigate aviation risks, authorities issued a Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation at the orange level, the second-highest alert, advising aircraft to avoid flying below 5km in the vicinity of the volcano. Pilots are also urged to be cautious of airborne volcanic ash, which poses a serious hazard to flight safety.

Local residents, tourists, and visitors are prohibited from conducting any activities within a 6km radius of the crater, and within a 7km radius in the southwest and northeast sectors.

Authorities also warned of the potential for lava floods during rainfall along rivers originating at the volcano’s summit.

— Bernama