Mon Nov 04 04:52:37 UTC 2024: ## Deadly Eruption Rocks Indonesia’s Flores Island, Raising Alert to Highest Level
**Flores, Indonesia:** A volcano on the popular tourist island of Flores erupted overnight, killing at least 10 people and prompting authorities to raise the alert level to its highest. Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,703-meter twin volcano, began spewing fireballs and ash shortly before midnight, forcing evacuations of several villages.
Residents described the terrifying experience, witnessing flames engulfing homes and volcanic rocks raining down. “I was asleep when suddenly the bed shook twice,” said Hermanus Mite, a local hairdresser. “I saw flames coming out and immediately fled. There were ashes and stones everywhere. My salon also caught fire.”
The Indonesian disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) confirmed the death toll and reported that 10,295 people had been affected by the eruption. Thousands were forced to seek shelter after five villages were evacuated.
Images and videos show homes engulfed in ash, some on fire, with the ground scarred by volcanic rocks. The crater erupted multiple times throughout the night, prompting the volcanology agency to issue the highest alert level. Locals and tourists are prohibited from entering a 7-kilometer radius around the crater.
The agency warned of potential rain-induced lava floods and urged residents to wear masks due to the dangers of volcanic ash. This latest eruption follows a series of smaller events last week, including a major eruption on Thursday that sent a 2,000-meter ash plume into the sky.
Indonesia, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent volcanic activity. This latest eruption underscores the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters, with tragic examples like the eruption of Mount Marapi last year that killed 24 climbers and the deadly mudflows in May that claimed over 60 lives.
First Piper 