Chaos erupted in Indonesia on Wednesday as Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, one of the country’s most active volcanoes, blasted lava and ash into the sky.
The first eruption struck at 1:35am local time, sending ash and lava six miles high, followed less than nine hours later by a second blast that produced a towering mushroom-shaped cloud nearly five miles tall.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is one of more than 450 volcanoes along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 25,000-mile horseshoe-shaped zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity encircling the Pacific Ocean.
Geology officials raised the volcano’s alert level to the highest late Tuesday after detecting deep quakes that often precede explosive eruptions.
Geological Agency boss Muhammad Wafid said there had been a ‘significant rise in the volcano’s activities.’
‘People living near the volcano should be aware of the potential volcanic mudflow if heavy rain occurs,’ he added.
Several nearby villages have already been blanketed in ash, while airport authorities have suspended flights in the region as authorities monitor the plume for further disruption.
Flights to the nearby tourist hotspot of Bali could also be affected, as they were during the volcano’s previous eruptions in July and August.
This is a developing story… More updates to come.
Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki has erupted twice since early Wednesday morning, forcing evacuations in nearby villages
The first eruption struck at 1:35am local time, sending ash and lava six miles high, followed less than nine hours later by a second blast (pictured) that produced a towering mushroom-shaped cloud nearly five miles tall
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