Indonesia volcano erupts: Colossal 18km ash tower blasts skyward

Jakarta: A volcano in eastern Indonesia, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, erupted on Monday, sending a colossal ash tower an astonishing 18 kilometres (11 miles) into the sky. The eruption occurred at 11:05 am local time (0305 GMT) from the 1,584-meter-high twin-peaked volcano located on the tourist island of Flores. Authorities have warned of potential hazardous lahar floods, particularly for communities near rivers, should heavy rain occur. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties following this latest eruption.

The volcanology agency confirmed the massive ash column height, emphasising the scale of the event. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, whose name means 'man' in Indonesian, is twinned with a calmer, taller peak named Perempuan (woman), standing at 1,703 meters.

This eruption follows significant activity from the same volcano last month, which led to the cancellation of dozens of flights to and from the popular resort island of Bali. Volcanic ash had previously rained down on communities surrounding the volcano, forcing the evacuation of at least one village. In a more severe period in November, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted multiple times, resulting in nine fatalities and forcing thousands to evacuate, alongside scores of international flight cancellations impacting Bali. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of cancelled flights after Monday's eruption.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago nation, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its geographical position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area prone to intense geological phenomena.

With inputs from AFP