Mount Lewotobi Laki‑Laki, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes located on Flores Island, erupted again late Friday evening, sending a towering plume of ash more than 10 kilometres (6 miles) into the sky. Authorities described the eruption as dramatic, with vivid lightning flashes punctuating glowing lava flows.

This eruption follows an earlier event in July, during which ash clouds shot up to 18 kilometres (11 miles) in height and led to the cancellation of dozens of flights in and out of Bali.

Indonesia’s geological agency reported that the eruption unleashed a deadly mix of hot gas clouds, volcanic rocks, and lava that raced up to 5 kilomètres (3 miles) down the slopes, impacting nearby villages with ash and debris.

Drone surveillance captured deep magma movements triggering seismic tremors beneath the volcano, and officials urged residents and travelers to stay outside a 6–7 kilomètre exclusion zone for safety. Heavy rain was also cited as a risk factor for lahar mudflows in river valleys below the crater.

Despite the scale of the eruption, no casualties have been reported to date. Early assessments describe it as one of Indonesia’s largest volcanic events since the 2010 eruption of Mount Merapi in Java.

Airports in Bali were not immediately affected, and no flight disruptions have been reported so far, although authorities remain vigilant amid ongoing volcanic activity