Major eruption at Lewotobi Laki-laki sends ash up to 16 km (53 000 feet) above sea level, Indonesia
A major eruption started at Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province at 09:45 UTC (17:45 local time) on June 17, 2025, ejecting an ash column up to 16 km (52 500 feet) above sea level and prompting authorities to raise the alert level to the highest.
Eruption at Lewotobi Laki Laki on June 17, 2025. Credit: FPMKI
A significant explosive eruption began at Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, located on Flores Island in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, at 09:45 UTC on June 17. The eruption ejected a large mushroom-shaped ash plume that reached an altitude of approximately 16 km (53 000 feet) above sea level. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red.
Indonesia’s Geological Agency raised the eruption alert to Level IV (Awas), the highest on the country’s scale, and extended the exclusion zone around the volcano to 8 km (5 miles).
This decision follows a dramatic increase in seismic activity at the volcano, with more than 50 volcanic earthquakes recorded within two hours after the eruption began, significantly above the average baseline of 8 to 10 per day.
The ash plume was visible from cities located between 90 km (56 miles) and 150 km (93 miles) from the volcano, forming a prominent cloud structure over the region. Despite the scale of the eruption, no casualties were reported as of June 17.
Geology Agency head Muhammad Wafid advised residents and tourists to avoid activities within at least 7 km (4.3 miles) of the crater. He also warned communities near rivers about the potential for lahar flows, volcanic mudflows triggered by heavy rainfall, which may transport volcanic material and debris downstream.
Authorities urged residents to wear face masks to reduce health risks associated with ash inhalation.
Erupsi G. Lewotobi Laki-laki, Nusa Tenggara Timur pada tanggal 17 Juni 2025 pukul 17:35 WITA Kolom abu teramati berwarna kelabu dengan intensitas tebal condong ke arah utara, timur laut, timur, tenggara, selatan, barat daya, barat, dan barat laut. pic.twitter.com/gzpGFwE01I
— FPMKI (@InfoFPMKI) June 17, 2025
This eruption follows a deadly episode in November 2024, when Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted and resulted in nine fatalities and dozens of injuries.
Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.
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