Indonesia issues highest alert as Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupts

One of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes spewed a huge ash cloud more than 11 kilometres into the sky on Tuesday after officials issued the country’s highest alert.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, erupted at 17:35 local time (10:35 BST), the country’s volcanology agency said, sending the vast cloud above the tourist island of Flores.

A 7km exclusion zone was in place around the crater of the 1,584m (one mile) high twin-peaked volcano. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.

The volcano erupted multiple times in November, killing nine people and forcing thousands to flee. The ash cloud also forced flight cancellations.

Geology agency head Muhammad Wafid said no one should carry out any activities within 7km of the eruption, and warned of potential lahar floods – a type of mud or debris flow of volcanic materials – if heavy rain occurs.

Residents were also urged to wear face masks to protect themselves from volcanic ash.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency meanwhile said that at least one village had been evacuated, and ash rain was reported in several others outside the exclusion zone.

A spokesman called on residents around the volcano “to evacuate to safe locations” as tremors were still being detected, which indicated ongoing volcanic activity.

Lewotobi Laki-laki’s last eruption was in May, when authorities also raised the level to the most severe.

Laki-Laki, which means “man” in Indonesian, is twinned with the calmer but taller 1,703m named Perempuan, the Indonesian word for “woman”.