In News:

Mount LewotobiLakiLaki, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, erupted in August 2025, spewing volcanic ash up to 18 km into the atmosphere and blanketing nearby villages on the island of Flores. The eruption followed another event just hours earlier, which sent ash plumes 10 km high, accompanied by glowing lava and volcanic lightning.

Key Features of the Eruption

• Scale: Among Indonesia’s largest volcanic events since the 2010 Mount Merapi eruption, which killed over 350 people and displaced hundreds of thousands.
• Hazards Observed:
  • Pyroclastic flows of gas, rocks, and lava up to 5 km down the slopes.
  • Volcanic debris, including hot gravel, scattered as far as 8 km from the crater.
  • Risk of lahars (volcanic mudflows) triggered by heavy rainfall.
• Alert Status: Indonesia’s Geology Agency placed the volcano on the highest alert level since June 18, 2025. The exclusion zone was extended to 7 km radius. Thousands of residents have been permanently relocated due to repeated eruptions, including a deadly series in November 2024 that killed nine and destroyed homes.

Geological Context

• Volcano Type: Part of the Lewotobi twin stratovolcano system (“husband and wife”), comprising:
  • LewotobiLakiLaki (male)
  • Lewotobi Perempuan(female)
• Location: Island of Flores, Indonesia.
• Height: 1,584 metres (5,197 feet).
• Ring of Fire Connection:
  • Situated along the Pacific Ring of Fire (Circum-Pacific Belt), a 40,000 km horseshoe-shaped zone around the Pacific Ocean.
  • Hosts 75% of Earth’s volcanoes (over 450) and accounts for 90% of global earthquakes.