Indonesia's Lewotobi active Laki Lai volcano spewed searing miles-high ash column into the skies over Flores island, 440 miles east of Bali, grounding flights serving the popular tourist island all across the region.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, a 1,584-metre-high twin-peaked volcano on the tourist island of Flores, erupted at 5:35 pm local time, the volcanology agency said in a statement.

Authorities recorded the volcano unleashing 10,000 metres (32,800 feet) of thick grey clouds.