A powerful Indonesia volcano eruption at Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki sent a massive column of ash and volcanic debris more than 18 kilometres into the sky on Monday, grounding dozens of flights and blanketing nearby villages in ash. Authorities have issued warnings for aviation and expanded exclusion zones, but no casualties have been reported.
The eruption began around 11:00 local time on 7 July 2025, marking the most powerful activity from the volcano since a deadly event in November 2024 that killed nine people. The Indonesian Geology Agency observed an avalanche of hot gas clouds, rocks, and lava flowing up to 5km down the slopes.
Drones confirmed that lava had filled the crater, indicating deep magma movement and significant volcanic earthquakes. “An eruption of that size certainly carries a higher potential for danger, including its impact on aviation,” said Muhammad Wafid, head of the agency.
Flights grounded and villages affected
The alert level for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki was raised to the highest level last month, following an earlier eruption on 18 June. The exclusion zone has been expanded to 7 kilometres, with local authorities urging residents and tourists to evacuate the area.
By Monday afternoon, at least 24 international flights- including services between Bali, Australia, Singapore, and South Korea- were cancelled or delayed. A spokesperson for Bali’s Ngurah Rai International Airport said that domestic flights, including routes to Labuan Bajo, were also affected. However, Bali’s airspace remained open as of 15:30 local time, with ash clouds not yet reaching its flight corridor.
Virgin Australia and Qantas both reported cancellations and significant delays. “The safety of our guests and crew is our highest priority,” said a Virgin spokesperson.
At El Tari Airport in Kupang, several domestic flights to Flores island were cancelled due to ashfall.
Ashfall, lava risk, and emergency measures
Villages near the volcano were shrouded in darkness for nearly 30 minutes due to falling ash. Hadi Wijaya, from the country’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, said thumb-sized volcanic fragments had been ejected as far as 8km from the crater.
Residents have been urged to remain alert for lava flows triggered by rainfall, which may sweep volcanic material down rivers originating from the slopes.
Officials say the eruption was caused by a buildup of pressure due to magma blockages, which masked seismic warnings and contributed to the blast’s explosive force.
A dangerous region on the Ring of Fire
Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki stands at 1,584 metres (5,197 feet) and forms a twin peak with Mount Lewotobi Perempuan. Located in the Flores Timur district of East Nusa Tenggara, the volcano is one of 120 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a country that lies on the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire.
Indonesia is no stranger to deadly eruptions. In 2010, Mount Merapi on Java erupted, killing 353 people and displacing over 350,000.
So far, no fatalities have been reported in this week’s Indonesia volcano eruption, but emergency teams remain on high alert.
Source: Associated Press
BREAKING: Powerful Eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki.
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) July 7, 2025
Location: East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), Indonesia.
A powerful eruption sent an ash column up to ±18,000 meters above the summit (±19,584 masl).
Date & Time: Monday, 07 July 2025, at 11:05 WITA. pic.twitter.com/jEpBdUGpO9
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