At least 10 people have died following the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia, which occurred at 11:57 PM local time on Monday. The eruption sent lava and rocks into nearby villages, damaging homes in seven communities located about 4 kilometers from the crater.
The Indonesian Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMG) has raised the volcano’s alert level and ordered evacuations within a 7-kilometer radius. Local officials have begun relocating residents to safer areas about 20 kilometers away.
Eyewitness footage shows residents covered in ash and homes on fire. The disaster agency has warned of potential flash floods and cold lava flows, prompting the declaration of a 58-day state of emergency to aid around 10,000 affected residents.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has been erupting intermittently since last December, significantly impacting the local economy, especially cashew nut farmers whose crops have suffered from ash fallout. Indonesia, located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” has about 130 active volcanoes, with many communities living close to them for agricultural benefits.
