Indonesia’s Laki-laki volcano Triggers Highest Alert, Disrupts Flights

Sub-header: Massive eruption forces evacuations, injures one, and halts Bali-bound flights as ash clouds threaten regional air safety.

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Jakarta, March 22 – Indonesia’s Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano in East Nusa Tenggara province unleashed a massive eruption Thursday night, sending ash clouds soaring over 8 kilometers (5 miles) into the sky and prompting authorities to raise the volcanic alert status to its highest level.

“The eruption was one of the strongest in recent history from this volcano,” said an official from Indonesia’s national geological agency.

The eruption, which followed dozens of smaller blasts since March 13, has sparked renewed fears in the region, which last saw deadly consequences from Lewotobi’s activity in November 2023, when at least nine people were killed and thousands evacuated due to lava and hot rock flows.

Authorities reported that one person was injured during the evacuation process on Thursday night, though details on the scope of evacuations remain limited. Disaster mitigation officials are monitoring the situation and have warned of the potential for lava floods and continued eruptions into the weekend.

The volcanic ash cloud disrupted air traffic across the region. Jetstar, a low-cost subsidiary of Qantas Airways, canceled several flights between Australia and Bali, citing ash-related safety risks. The airline said operations are expected to resume by Friday afternoon.

A spokesperson for Bali’s airport confirmed the facility remains operational, but seven international flights were canceled and multiple domestic departures were delayed Friday morning.

The situation is still developing, and Indonesian authorities are coordinating with local governments to assess damage, continue evacuation logistics, and issue real-time updates to residents and airlines.

Indonesia, home to nearly 130 active volcanoes, sits along the volatile Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a seismically active zone responsible for some of the world’s most powerful volcanic and earthquake activity.