On Friday, March 21, 2025, Mount Lewotobi, located in the central-southern part of Indonesia, erupted three times. The eruptions sent ash columns soaring as high as 8,000 meters into the sky. This prompted authorities to extend the danger zone around the volcano. However, there was no immediate information on evacuations or relocations.
The volcano is located on a remote island in the East Nusa Tenggara province, in the Flores area. Over the past week, there has been a significant increase in volcanic activity, including hundreds of earthquakes. Because of the increased activity, authorities raised the eruption alert to the highest level and expanded the danger zone from 7 kilometers to 8 kilometers around the crater.
As a result of the eruptions, some airlines have canceled flights between Australia and Bali, a popular tourist island in Indonesia. Other flights, both international and domestic, have been delayed. The Indonesian Geological Agency has also issued warnings to residents about the heavy rain, which could trigger lava flows from rivers near the volcano.
In November 2024, a previous eruption of Mount Lewotobi caused the deaths of nine people and injured many others. Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano located in the East Flores district, with an elevation of 1,584 meters, and is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent seismic and volcanic activity. Indonesia, an island nation with a population of 270 million people, has 120 active volcanoes due to its location on the Ring of Fire.
This latest volcanic event continues to highlight Indonesia’s vulnerability to natural disasters, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation for further developments.
