Indonesia volcano eruption forces airport closure and flight disruptions

This August 2025 file picture shows Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki erupting, as seen from Pululera village.

A highly active volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted several times on Friday, spewing towering ash columns into the sky and forcing a local airport to close, authorities said.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores Island erupted at 11:15 am local time, sending volcanic material 2.5 kilometres into the air, the national volcanology agency said in a statement.

It came after several other eruptions earlier on Friday.

Lewotobi Laki-Laki falls under Indonesia's second-highest alert level for volcanic activity, with a five-kilometre exclusion zone in force around its crater.