Indonesia raises alert status as Mount Lewotobi erupts, expands danger zone

Jakarta, May 19 (IANS) Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation has elevated the alert status of Mount Lewotobi in East Nusa Tenggara Province and expanded the danger zone as volcanic eruptions continue.

The alert status was raised on Sunday night following multiple eruptions, with the strongest sending an ash column 6 km into the sky.

Authorities have extended the danger zone from 6 to 7 km for areas northwest, north, and northeast of the crater. Outside these areas, the 6-km restriction remains in effect.

On Monday, Mt. Lewotobi erupted again at 15:47 local time, spewing an ash plume 5 km high. Thick gray clouds are drifting northward and northwestward from the volcano.

The Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation remains at a red-level warning, the highest alert, Xinhua news agency reported. It prohibits flights below 6 km near the volcano and advises caution due to volcanic ash, which can disrupt aircraft operations.

Communities near the volcano, as well as tourists and visitors, are barred from any activities within a 7-km radius of the crater in the west, north, and northeast sectors. Outside these areas, the 6-km restriction applies.

Residents near the volcano are urged to remain vigilant against potential lava floods caused by rainfall in rivers originating from the summit. Those in ash-affected areas should wear face masks or nose coverings for protection.

Last month, flight warnings and safety advisories were issued by the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre after Mount Lewotobi erupted and released a column of ash up to 3,500 metres into the sky.

It was advised on April 16 that the communities living near the volcano should be aware of the potential for lava floods induced by rivers originating from the peak of the volcano when heavy rains occur.

On March 20, a similar eruption released a column of ash up to 8,000 metres high.

Mount Lewotobi, standing at 1,584 metres, is one of Indonesia's 127 active volcanoes. Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanos and sits along the 'Ring of Fire', a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Indonesia sits on the boundary of several major tectonic plates: the Eurasian, Australian, and Pacific plates and has experienced some of the world's deadliest and most powerful eruptions, such as the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815, further highlighting the country's vulnerability to volcanic hazards.

--IANS

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