Dramatic visuals circulating online showed thick volcanic ash clouds billowing from Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, stunning viewers as the plume rose nearly 10 kilometres into the sky. The eruption, which occurred on Tuesday, disrupted air travel and forced evacuations in eastern Indonesia.

The footage, widely shared on social media, captured the power of the volcano on Flores island, part of Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province. The volcano, standing 1,584 metres tall, erupted with such intensity that authorities raised its alert status to the highest on the national four-tier scale.

Bali flights cancelled as ash spreads

Following the eruption, dozens of flights to and from Bali’s I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport were cancelled. Jetstar and Virgin Australia flights to various Australian cities were grounded, along with services by Air India, Air New Zealand, Singapore’s Tigerair, and China’s Juneyao Airlines.

Jetstar confirmed on its website that its flights had been cancelled. “Forecasts show the ash cloud is expected to clear by later tonight. As a result, this afternoon's flights will be delayed to operate later this evening,” it stated.

Ngurah Rai airport officials said a total of 32 domestic and international flights had been cancelled. Several AirAsia flights to Labuan Bajo, a popular tourist destination on Flores, were also called off.

Despite the disruptions, a customer service agent at Bali airport told AFP the airport remained operational. “It depends on the route and also the airline,” she said, choosing not to be named.

Smaller Flores airport shut as safety concerns rise

The eruption also led to the temporary closure of Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in Maumere, Flores. Authorities announced via social media that it would remain closed until Thursday morning.

Evacuation and warnings issued around volcano

Volcanic ash rained down on villages near the volcano, forcing at least one evacuation late Tuesday. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, said tremors and eruptions were still being detected on Wednesday morning.

“No less than 450 families from affected villages... have settled in temporary housing equipped with electricity and clean water facilities,” he said.

The national geology agency warned residents and tourists not to approach within seven kilometres of the volcano’s crater. It also alerted communities near rivers to the risk of lahar floods — fast-moving flows of volcanic debris triggered by rain.

No casualties reported; memories of deadly November eruption remain

So far, there have been no reports of injuries or property damage. However, memories of the volcano’s previous eruption in November remain fresh. That event killed nine people, cancelled numerous international flights to Bali, and led to widespread evacuations.

Indonesia’s Ring of Fire sees frequent volcanic activity

Indonesia, situated on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", is home to over 120 active volcanoes. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is one of a twin-peaked volcano complex, with “Laki-Laki” meaning “man” in Indonesian, paired with a quieter peak named after the word for “woman”.