Indonesia’s rumbling Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki has erupted for the second time in two weeks, sending a column of high as high as 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky. Panicked locals have awoken to a huge covering of ash and volcanic material.
Indonesia’s Geology Agency said in a statement it recorded the volcano unleashing an avalanche of searing gas clouds down its slopes during the eruption. Those in the area are being warned of the possibility of hazardous lahar floods — a type of mud or debris flow of volcanic materials — if heavy rain occurs, particularly for communities near rivers. There are no immediate reports of casualties.
Dramatic footage show clouds of thick ash billowing from the crater, turning the sky grey.
The MAGMA agency said the volcano unleashed an avalanche of searing gas clouds down the slopes of Mount Lewotobi during the eruption.
At least five return international flights operating between Australia and Bali have been cancelled and multiple others delayed.
“An eruption of Lewotobi Laki-Laki Volcano occurred … with the observed ash column height reaching approximately 18,000m above the summit,” the agency said.
The same volcano erupted in June, forcing everyone within a two-mile radius to flee its lethal currents of hot gas and debris. The Australian Government also issued a red alert for aircraft in the vicinity.
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