Hanoi (VNA) – Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in eastern Indonesia erupted several times on June 5, spewing massive ash clouds into the sky and forcing the closure of a local airport, disrupting domestic air travel.
According to Indonesia’s volcanology agency, the latest eruption occurred at 11:15 am (local time), sending volcanic material about 2.5 kilometres into the air.
Authorities suspended operations at an airport in the town of Maumere, affecting five domestic flights.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki remains under Indonesia’s second-highest alert level for volcanic activity. A five-kilometre exclusion zone has been established around the crater, while residents living near rivers have been advised to remain vigilant for potential lahar flows – dangerous mudflows composed of volcanic debris that can occur during heavy rainfall.
The 1,584m-high volcano, whose name means “man” in Indonesian, is paired with a neighbouring 1,703m volcano named Perempuan, meaning “woman”.
In July 2025, Lewotobi Laki-Laki ejected an enormous ash column reaching 18 kilometres into the atmosphere, prompting the cancellation of 24 flights at the international airport on the resort island of Bali.
Indonesia, one of the world's most volcanically active countries, is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region where several tectonic plates meet, resulting in frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions./.
