Indonesia National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed Friday that no casualties were reported following a large-scale eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, on Thursday night.
The eruption, which sent volcanic ash up to 8 kilometers (5 miles) into the air, prompted authorities to raise the alert level from Level III (Standby) to Level IV (Warning), the highest level. BNPB Chief Suharyanto attributed the absence of fatalities to the fact that 4,000 evacuees had not returned to their homes since the volcano’s previous eruption in November.
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“During the eruption last night until the early hours of this morning, there was one injury, but that person was in a plantation,” Suharyanto said during a press briefing after a ministerial meeting to discuss post-eruption management.
The Geological Agency has advised residents, visitors, and tourists to avoid all activities within a 7-kilometer (4.3-mile) radius of the volcano’s eruption center. Additionally, people are urged to stay clear of areas in the southwest, north, and northeast directions within an 8-kilometer (5-mile) radius for safety.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of Indonesia’s active volcanoes, is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region prone to seismic activity. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely as the volcano remains at its highest alert level.
