Key Takeaways:
– Indonesia’s Flores Island hit by severe volcanic eruptions causing at least 10 fatalities.
– Villages blanketed by tons of volcanic ash, inhabitants forced to evacuate.
– Disaster agency boosts volcano alert to highest level and expands exclusion zone.
– Second volcanic eruption in Indonesia within a fortnight.
An eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki, a volcano in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province, has left a trail of devastation and at least ten fatalities. The disaster struck the remote Flores Island, affecting six villages and leading to the evacuation of around 10,000 people.
Continuous Eruptions Lead to Loss of Life and Property
Late Sunday, a massive outpouring of volcanic debris rained down on nearby villages as far as 3.7 miles from the crater. The fiery blast continued into the early hours of Monday. The eruption spewed thick brownish ash about 6,500 feet high and smothered several settlements, including homes and a convent housing Catholic nuns, said Firman Yosef, an official from the local volcano monitoring post.
The early hours’ eruption led to chaos as residents scrambled to escape. Abdul Muhari, spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency, stated that search and rescue operations continue as rescuers look for bodies trapped in the collapsed structures. A 2.4-mile radius of the crater had been scoured, with all recovered bodies, including a child, found in this zone.
High Alert and Evacuation Efforts
The local government is preparing schools to serve as temporary shelters for displaced residents. Some people have already sought refuge at relatives’ homes. Indonesia’s volcano monitoring agency elevated the volcano’s alert status to its apex and more than doubled the exclusion zone to a 4.3-mile radius. Frequent eruptions and mounting danger prompted these measures.
The predominantly Catholic island suffered a tragic loss when a nun in Hokeng village died in the eruption, and another is reportedly missing as informed by Agusta Palma, head of the Saint Gabriel Foundation. Palma painted a vivid picture of panic and fear as nuns fled from the raining volcanic ash in the darkness.
The Catastrophic Aftermath
Photos and videos posted on social media platforms reveal a grim scenario post-eruption. Numerous houses in villages, including Hokeng, have been nearly submerged under torrents of volcanic debris. Hot volcanic matter has also caused fires in various buildings.
Different Circumstances and Previous Records
As the disaster unfolds, a comparison is being drawn with an eruption that occurred in January, when about 6,500 people were evacuated due to the eruption of the same volcano, Mt Lewotobi Laki Laki. However, these two eruptions exhibited disparate characters, according to Muhammad Wafid, the head of the Geology Agency at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.
Indonesia’s Volcanic Landscape
The eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki is not an isolated incident in Indonesia. The country recently witnessed another volcanic eruption in West Sumatra province, with Mount Marapi spewing ash multiple times in late October. Fortunately, it caused no casualties.
Indonesia, hailed as the world’s largest archipelago nation, is home to some 280 million people and has about 120 active volcanoes. This number is explainable as Indonesia is situated on the “Ring of Fire,” a notorious zone prone to earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic eruptions because it encompasses a series of seismic fault lines around the Pacific Ocean.
The erupting volcano, Lewotobi Laki-laki, and its companion Lewotobi Perempuan form a unique pair colloquially referred to as the ‘husband and wife mountains’. As the local people continue to grapple with the consequences of this force of nature, the events underline the dire consequences of being in the intimidating presence of these volcanic giants.