In Flores Island, Indonesia, Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted on June 17, 2025, causing air travel delays to and from popular tourist sites. There are no injuries that have been reported so far.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki itself has erupted many times before, the most recent being in November 2024. The eruption took the lives of 9 people and left an estimated 31 people injured.

The movement of tectonic plates and the buildup of magma beneath the volcano are inferred to have caused the plates to collide with each other, leading to the eruption.

The eruption caused clouds of ash and smoke 6.8 miles (11 kilometers) into the sky and was seen from up to 93 miles (150 kilometers) away. The mushroom shaped ash cloud and debris then fell onto the villages nearby.

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that these villages, along with others outside the immediate danger zone, experienced thick ash covering their village and were immediately evacuated.

They were then notified that they should not leave safe zones until the volcano calms down. The Indonesian government then raised the alert level to its highest level, and informed all tourists or villagers to stay at least five miles (eight kilometers) away from the volcano.

The alert level system is a complex system with four levels. Level 1 means everything is normal and there is no volcanic activity. Level 2 signals that there is moderate volcanic activity. Level 3 is concerning and represents unruly activity, having potential for eruption in weeks. Level 4 is warning to evacuate and stay away from the area as there is a high possibility of major eruption.

This alert system was put in place to ensure the safety of all citizens and tourists since Indonesia has frequent volcano activities. It has about a thousand seismic activities occurring annually since the islands that make up the country are located in the “Ring of Fire.” “The Ring of Fire” is a large area in the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanoes are common. Indonesia currently has 120 active volcanoes reported, according to CNN.

Indonesia has had numerous injuries and fatalities throughout history due to their high number of eruptions.

Therefore, this eruption is not new to this strong community, and they will eventually make through like so many other times before.