Volcano erupts in Indonesia

Last Tuesday, Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, a volcano, erupted in Indonesia.

Indonesia is a country composed of small islands in the “Ring of Fire,” a large area in the Pacific characterized by numerous volcanoes and frequent earthquakes. Indonesia has 120 active volcanoes.

When Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted, the eruption sent a big cloud of ash and smoke about 6.8 miles (11 kilometers) into the sky. The ash and smoke could be seen even 100 miles away.

On Wednesday morning, Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted again, sending another cloud of ash 0.6 miles (1 kilometer) into the air.

“The eruptions have affected air traffic, a key method of transportation in the island nation. The airport on Flores Island has been closed until Thursday. The ash also forced the closing of the airport in Bali. Dozens of flights serving the island have been canceled,” reports News For Kids. This includes flights between Indonesian islands as well as connections to other places like Australia, China, India, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki has been very active these months. Normally, it “rumbled” an average of 10 times per day. However, before this eruption, the volcano rumbled 50 times in two hours. “The volcano also erupted in March and again in May, raising concerns and causing flight delays,” says News for Kids.

The islands of Indonesia are popular with tourists, and the recent eruption left some tourists stuck in Indonesia temporarily. One travel agency reported that it was aware of over 1,000 tourists who had to stay in Bali due to cancellations.

Some people weren’t upset about having to stay longer. One tourist said to CNN, “I see it as a blessing in disguise that we’re safe and well.”

References: Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Erupts in Indonesia (https://newsforkids.net/articles/2025/06/19/mount-lewotobi-laki-laki-erupts-in-indonesia/)