Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency has reported at least six fatalities following a series of volcanic eruptions on the remote island of Flores. The eruption at Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki sent thick brownish ash soaring up to 2,000 meters into the air, with hot ashes causing damage to a nearby village, including the burning down of several houses and a convent of Catholic nuns.
The death toll was revised down from an initial count of nine, with ongoing efforts to assess the full extent of casualties and damage. Reports suggest that more individuals may be trapped in collapsed structures.
Authorities have escalated the alert level and expanded the danger zone for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki in response to the escalating volcanic activity. The volcano monitoring agency raised the alert status to the highest level and extended the exclusion zone to a 7-kilometer radius following a series of eruptions that commenced the previous week.
Approximately 10,000 individuals have been impacted by the eruption in Wulanggitang District, spanning six nearby villages. Additional affected areas include four villages in Ile Bura District and four villages in Titehena District.
The volcanic material ejected from the crater reached distances of up to 6 kilometers, covering surrounding communities with volcanic debris and prompting evacuations. Tragically, a nun in Hokeng village lost her life, while another remains missing.
Footage shared on social media depicts villages like Hokeng buried under tons of volcanic debris, with houses engulfed in flames from the hot volcanic material. This marks Indonesia's second volcanic eruption in as many weeks, following Mount Marapi's activity in West Sumatra province on October 27, which resulted in ash columns and debris but no reported casualties.
