Is it safe to travel to Indonesia? Latest advice following Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption
On Tuesday June 17, Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted, spewing an ash cloud more than 11 kilometres into the air. The 1,703-metre twin-peaked volcano, located on the island of Flores – home to Labuan Bajo, the gateway to the popular tourist destination Komodo National Park – is one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes. This latest eruption has prompted officials to raise the alert status to its highest level.
So, is it safe to travel right now? Are flights to Indonesia affected? Here's all the latest travel advice.
What's the latest with the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption?
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted at 5.35pm local time, said the country's volcanology agency. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, but the National Disaster Agency said that at least one village had been evacuated. Ash rain has also been reported in several villages.
Is it safe to travel to Flores?
A 7km exclusion zone has been put in place around the crater of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki. Geology agency head Muhammad Wafid has stated that no activities should be carried out within this exclusion zone. He also warned of potential mudflows, a dangerous type of volcanic flood consisting of volcanic debris, in case of heavy rain.
Our advice? Travel to Flores if you must, but stay well out of the 7km radius around Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki.
Are flights to Indonesia affected by the Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki eruption?
Yes, flights to Flores and nearby Bali have been cancelled in the wake of the eruption.
Checks on the live tracker Flightradar24 show that AirAsia flights in and out of Labuan Bajo Komodo Airport, scheduled for June 18, have been cancelled.
Dozens of flights in and out of Bali's Denpasar Ngurah Rai International Airport have also been cancelled for June 18. These include Jetstar, Batik Air, and Virgin Australia flights to and from Australia; Singapore Airlines and Scoot flights to and from Singapore, and domestic arrivals on Garuda Indonesia.
If you have a scheduled flight to Flores or Bali today or tomorrow, do check with your carrier for the latest updates.
When was the last time Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupted?
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki's last eruption occurred in May, when authorities also raised the alert status to its highest level. It also erupted multiple times in November last year, killing nine people and forcing thousands to evacuate. Flight cancellations also resulted from those eruptions.
Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano, meaning it has two peaks: the more active Laki-Laki (meaning "man" in Bahasa) and the taller and calmer volcano called Perempuan (meaning "woman" in Bahasa).
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