Mount Lewotobi in Indonesia erupts, prompting aviation warning

Jakarta, April 16 (IANS) Mount Lewotobi, located in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on Wednesday, triggering a flight warning and safety advisories, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre said.

The eruption released a column of ash up to 3,500 metres into the sky, and the thick gray cloud moved westward and northwestward of the crater.

To mitigate risks posed by the volcanic ash, a Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation has been issued at the orange level, the second-highest warning, banning planes from flying below 5,000 metres in the vicinity of Mount Lewotobi. Aircraft should also exercise caution regarding the presence of volcanic ash, which can disturb their flights.

To protect the residents living on the slope of the volcano from the risks of hot clouds and volcanic materials, the centre has issued safety advisories, Xinhua news agency reported. The residents, tourists, and visitors should not engage in any activities within a radius of six km from the volcano.

The communities living near the volcano should be aware of the potential for lava floods induced by rivers originating from the peak of the volcano when heavy rains occur.

The residents whose living areas are reachable by the volcanic ash spread should wear facemasks or nose-mouth covers to protect themselves from respiratory system hazards.

Last month, the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation had raised the alert status to the highest level after eruption of Mount Lewotobi.

The eruption released a column of ash up to 8,000 metres high before midnight on March 20.

Mount Lewotobi, standing at 1,584 metres, is one of Indonesia's 127 active volcanoes. Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanos and sits along the 'Ring of Fire', a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.

Indonesia sits on the boundary of several major tectonic plates: the Eurasian, Australian, and Pacific plates and has experienced some of the world's deadliest and most powerful eruptions, such as the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815, further highlighting the country's vulnerability to volcanic hazards.

--IANS

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