The volcano erupted just before Midnight on Monday. Evacuations are in place for several villages near the volcano.
FLORES ISLAND, Indonesia – A volcano in Indonesia erupted late Sunday, killing at least 10 people.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcano on Flores Island erupted just before midnight, local time, according to the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG).
Indonesia’s Disaster Agency, Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB), confirmed the deaths and said search and rescue efforts continue to ensure all victims have been evacuated from affected areas.
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The Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA) color code, organizes the status of volcanoes based on a color: green, yellow, orange or red. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki was in an “orange”code, indicating a consistent state of high unrest and increased likelihood of eruption, before the eruption Sunday. It is now in a “red” state, the highest level of alert.
According to BNPB, several nearby villages had to be evacuated because of the eruption.
The agency also warned residents of possible flash flooding from heavy rainfall.
Photos from PVMBG on Monday showed the volcanic eruption in daylight, thick smoke from the eruption filled the air near the mountain peak.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcanic eruption Nov. 4, 2024.
(Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Indonesia / FOX Weather)
By night, bright red lava lit up the sky, a photo showed.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki volcanic eruption at night on Nov. 4, 2024.
(Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation of Indonesia / FOX Weather)
Video of the aftermath showed homes and buildings coated in thick, gray ash. Some homes and buildings had damaged or collapsed roofs.
The volcano’s eruption affected houses within a 4.35-mile radius of the top of the mountain, BNPB said.