Lewotobi volcano erupts after a month of dormancy
Flights to Bali canceled due to volcanic ash
The Lewotobi volcano, located in eastern Indonesia, erupted, causing a series of flight cancellations to the nearby resort destination of Bali. This eruption, occurring after a month of dormancy, was reported to be the largest in the past six months.
According to reports from international media outlets including AFP, on the 18th (local time), the Indonesian government closed Fransiskus Xaverius Seda Airport in East Nusa Tenggara province, where the Lewotobi volcano is located.
The area surrounding the Lewotobi volcano includes Bali Island, a major tourist destination. According to Bali International Airport, numerous flights to Bali from India, Singapore, and Australia have been canceled. Singapore Airlines canceled four flights between Bali and Singapore, while the low-cost carrier Scoot also canceled its schedule to Lombok Island near Bali. Jetstar, a subsidiary of Australian airline Qantas, canceled several morning flights to Bali and announced that afternoon flights are expected to be delayed.
The volcano erupted at around 5:35 p.m. the previous day. The eruption reportedly sent volcanic ash up to a height of about 11 kilometers. Indonesian authorities have raised the volcano's alert level to the highest stage and evacuated residents living near the volcano. Authorities explained that this decision was made because strong seismic activity, including distant tectonic movements, continues as a result of the volcanic activity.
The volcano erupted again on the morning of the same day, spewing ash up to 1 kilometer high. This marks the first time in a month that the volcano has shown such active behavior since May 19, when it erupted and sent ash 5.5 kilometers into the air. Additionally, in November of last year, the volcano erupted several times, resulting in 10 fatalities.
Meanwhile, Indonesia is located on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area with frequent volcanic and seismic activity, and currently has 127 active volcanoes.
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