Flights to and from Bali were severely disrupted after Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, one of Indonesia’s active volcanoes, erupted and spewed an ash cloud 10 kilometres into the sky.
The eruption took place on Tuesday afternoon in the East Nusa Tenggara province and was followed by another smaller eruption early on Wednesday, prompting the authorities to raise the alert level to its highest of a four-tiered system status, and expand evacuation areas. The ash cloud from the volcano led to the cancellation or rerouting of dozens of international flights to Bali due to safety concerns.
“The height of the eruption column was observed at approximately 10,000 metres above the summit. The ash column was observed to be grey with thick intensity,” the National Disaster Management Agency said, after the alert level was raised.
BREAKING: Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia has erupted 🌋
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) June 17, 2025
"There was an eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 17:35 WITA with an observed ash column height of ± 10,000 m above the peak (± 11,584 m above sea level)," said the Volcano Observation… pic.twitter.com/lpWZnHQwk1
Several airlines, including Jetstar, Singapore Airlines, Scoot, Air India, and Air New Zealand were forced to cancel flights to Denpasar’s Ngurah Rai International Airport. Passengers travelling between Bali and cities in Australia, India, Singapore, Malaysia and China experienced significant delays. Jetstar stated it was monitoring conditions closely and hoped to resume operations later on Wednesday, depending on ash movements.
“Impacted customers have been notified directly and provided a range of options. At this stage, forecasts show the ash cloud is expected to clear by later tonight. As a result, this afternoon’s flights will be delayed to operate later this evening,” the Jetstar statement read.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency confirmed that ash had dispersed as far as 10km into the atmosphere, deep into commercial airspace, posing a severe risk to jet engines. Avi Hallan, the agency’s representative, told Reuters that the villages had been evacuated. “Streets in the two villages were filled with thick ash, gravel, and sand,” she stated, adding that no casualties were reported.
Ash and dust covered the roads and roofs of residential areas around Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki volcano after it erupted a day earlier and sent an ash plume of over six miles into the sky https://t.co/q91zBULrve pic.twitter.com/foEtCSfRRi
— Reuters Asia (@ReutersAsia) June 18, 2025
Ash fall was reported in a number of villages outside the Disaster-Prone Area radius, including Boru, Hewa, and Watobuku. Residents of Nurabelen and Nileknoheng were evacuated, as the authorities expanded the exclusion zone to an 8km radius around the crater. Volcanologists also withdrew staff from an observation post about 7km from the mountain due to heightened activity and safety risks.
No injuries or fatalities were reported as of Wednesday afternoon, but the situation remains volatile. Authorities urged people in the surrounding areas to take precautions and remain alert: “The public and tourists are advised not to carry out activities within a radius of 7km and the southwest-northeast sector 8 km from the eruption center.”
“People around disaster-prone areas should be aware of the potential for lava floods if heavy rain occurs,” officials warned. “Residents affected by ash rain are advised to use masks or nose and mouth covers,” the statement said.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is the larger part of the twin Lewotobi volcano complex, alongside the smaller Lewotobi Perempuan peak. The volcano has shown frequent activity in recent years, with eruptions recorded as recently as March and November 2024. The November eruption killed 10 people, destroyed buildings, including a convent of Catholic nuns, and led to large-scale evacuations as it spewed a column of lava and hot ash into nearby villages.
Indonesia is located on the “Pacific Ring of Fire” and has more than 120 active volcanoes, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
Air travel is expected to gradually resume once the ash cloud dissipates and visibility improves. Travellers have been advised to check with airlines for the latest updates and remain cautious amid the ongoing volcanic activity.
