Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Erupts Again, Residents Urged to Stay Away

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Nurabelen, Ilebura District, East Flores Regency, erupted again on Wednesday morning, 4 March 2026, at 08:39 WITA, producing a volcanic ash plume observed at about 800 metres above the summit (approximately 2,384 metres above sea level). The eruption was confirmed by Herman Yosef Mboro, head of the Lewotobi Laki-laki Volcano Observation Post (PPGA), in a written report from PPGA in Pululera Village, Wulanggitang District. The ash plume was grey in colour with moderate intensity, drifting towards the north and northeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 11 mm and a duration of about 47 seconds. The volcano is currently at Alert Level II (Waspada). The PPGA has instructed the public to refrain from any activity within a four-kilometre radius of the eruption centre. Residents and visitors should stay calm and wear masks or nose-and-mouth coverings to protect against volcanic ash fall, which can cause respiratory problems. People around Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki should also be aware of the potential for lahars in rain on rivers that originate at the summit, particularly if heavy rainfall occurs in areas such as Dulipali, Padang Pasir, Nobo, Nurabelen, Klatanlo, Hokeng Jaya, Boru and Nawakote.