Indonesia: Volcano erupts on popular tourist island killing at least 10 with villages covered in thick ash and thousands evacuated

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A volcano has erupted on a popular tourist island killing at least 10 people.

The volcano erupted in eastern Indonesia overnight on Sunday evening (3 November) spewing fireballs and ash on surrounding villages, officials said. They raised its alert status to the highest level.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-metre twin volcano located on the popular tourist island of Flores, first erupted shortly before midnight, forcing authorities to evacuate several villages. Abdul Muhari, a spokesperson for the country's disaster mitigation agency (BNPB), confirmed the death toll at a press conference, adding that 10,295 people had been affected by the eruptions.

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Footage received by AFP showed villages near the volcano covered by thick ash, with some areas on fire. An AFP journalist near the volcano said five villages were evacuated, affecting thousands of residents.

A volcano has erupted on a popular tourist island killing at least 10 people. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)A volcano has erupted on a popular tourist island killing at least 10 people. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images)
A volcano has erupted on a popular tourist island killing at least 10 people. (Photo: AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images

Some wooden houses caught fire, and the ground was pockmarked with holes caused by flying molten rocks. The crater erupted just before midnight and then again at 1.27am and 2.48am, the country's volcanology agency said.

"There has been a significant increase in volcanic activity on Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki," it said in a press release. It released images that showed the roofs of houses collapsed after they were hit by volcanic rocks, and locals sheltering in communal buildings.

The volcanology agency warned there was a potential for rain-induced lava floods and told locals to wear masks to avoid the effects of volcanic ash. The eruption comes after the mountain had several major eruptions in January, prompting authorities at the time to raise the alert status to the highest level and evacuate at least 2,000 residents. Indonesia experiences frequent eruptions due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an area of intense volcanic and seismic activity.

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