Mount Ili Lewotolok Erupts Again, Spews 700-Metre Ash Column

Mount Ili Lewotolok in Ile Ape District, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), erupted again on Monday (3/8) at 16:50 WITA, accompanied by rumbling sounds. The eruption spewed a column of volcanic ash approximately 700 metres above the peak, dispersing towards the southwest and west.

Stanislaus Ara Kian, an officer at the Ili Lewotolok Volcano Observation Post (PPGA), reported that the ash column was observed to be grey with moderate to thick intensity, leaning towards the southwest and west. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 40 millimetres and lasted for approximately 1 minute and 12 seconds.

Monday’s eruption occurred a day after Mount Ili Lewotolok ejected volcanic ash on Sunday (2/8) at 13:16 WITA, when the ash column reached around 600 metres above the peak. Despite the consecutive eruptions, the activity status of Mount Ili Lewotolok remains at Level II (Waspada).

The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has urged the public, hikers, and tourists not to enter or conduct activities within a two-kilometre radius of the volcano’s active centre. Residents living around the mountain have been asked to remain calm, avoid unverified information, and follow official updates from the Ili Lewotolok Volcano Observation Post and PVMBG. The public has also been advised to be aware of potential volcanic ashfall and to use masks or nose and mouth coverings to reduce the risk of respiratory issues.