Activiteit bij vulkaan Lewotobi in Indonesie - evacuaties gaande

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Increased eruptive activity at Lewotobi, Alert Level raised to highest, evacuation orders issued, Indonesia

Eruptive activity at the Lewotobi volcanic complex further increased over the past 10 days, prompting the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) to raise the Alert Level to the highest (4 of 4) on January 9, 2024.

According to PVMBG, seismicity at Lewotobi increased on December 12, 2023, and was followed by the emergence of “tornillo” earthquakes indicating fluid movement at depth. This activity was followed by a 24-minute-long eruption on December 23 at Lakilaki. A 160 m (525 feet) long fissure on the upper NW flank was visible afterward, emitting dense white plumes up to 300 m (985 feet) above the crater.

A dense white-and-gray ash plume rising to 1 km (3 280 feet) above the summit was reported on December 28. On January 1, 2024, the amplitude of continuous tremors increased and a new vent opened along a fissure located on the upper SSE flank, producing a white, gray, and black ash plume that rose 1 – 1.5 km (3 280 – 4 920 feet) above the summit. As a result, the Alert Level was raised to 3 of 4, and the public was warned to stay 3 km (1.8 miles) away from the Perempuan and Lakilaki craters and an additional 4 km (2.5 miles) from the NNW and SSE flanks of Lakilaki.

The volcano exhibited an increase in the maximum height of ash columns since the start of the year, from 2.4 km (8 000 feet) a.s.l. on January 1 to 4.3 km (14 000 feet) a.s.l. on January 9. This activity was accompanied by increasing tremors, incandescent lava bombs at the peak, and lava flows.

As a result, PVMBG raised the Alert Level from 3 to 4 on January 9 and issued evacuation orders to people living near the volcano.

Local authorities have established two temporary shelters, which are currently accommodating about 5 000 people, local official Benediktus Bolibapa Herin told AFP today, January 10.