An eruption of Indonesia's Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano spewed ash clouds more than 5 miles high, authorities said, as they raised the alert status to the highest level, and an Australian airline canceled some flights into Bali.

Lewotobi

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert status of the Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano to the highest level following a major eruption. The eruption, which occurred recently, sent ash clouds soaring more than five miles into the atmosphere. The eruption was so significant that it led to the suspension of some flights by an Australian airline into Bali.

Prior to this major eruption, East Nusa Tenggara province had witnessed a number of smaller eruptions since mid-March, according to the National Geological Agency. Warnings have been issued about potential lava floods, and additional smaller eruptions were reported. During evacuations, one person was reportedly injured after mistakenly treating hot ash as rain, resulting in burns.

Jetstar, a subsidiary of Qantas Airways, was forced to cancel flights between Australia and Bali due to the volcanic ash and its potential impact on flight safety. Previous eruptions of the volcano, such as one in November last year, had devastating consequences, including fatalities and necessitated evacuations. The current situation is being closely monitored by authorities, but details on evacuations and those affected remain limited. Indonesia, which has nearly 130 active volcanoes, is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a notable zone of seismic activity.



Volcano eruption halts flights

Indonesian authorities have raised the alert status to the highest level. After the eruption of the Lewa Tobi Lucky Lucky volcano Thursday night, ash clouds spewed more than five miles high. And an Australian airline cancelled some flights into Bali on Friday. The eruption of the volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province followed dozens of smaller ones since March 13th, the National Geological Agency said. The agency warned of lava floods and said there were smaller eruptions early on Friday. A Disaster Mitigation Agency spokesperson told Reuters that at least one person was injured during evacuations. There was no immediate details on the size or logistics of the evacuations. This man said his relative mistook the hot ashes for rain, and was burnt after falling on a piece of burning wood. Jetstar, Qantas Airways' low-cost subsidiary, cancelled flights between Australia and Bali on Friday morning because of the volcanic ash. In November last year, the Lewa Tobi Lucky Lucky volcano erupted, pelting nearby villages with hot rocks and lava flows. At least nine people were killed and thousands were evacuated. Indonesian authorities had said at the time that it aimed to permanently relocate the residents. It was not immediately clear how many people were affected by Thursday's eruption. Indonesia has close to 130 active volcanoes and sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of high seismic activity atop various tectonic plates.

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