• Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted again, spewing ash up to 18 kilometers high.
• The eruptions caused flight cancellations and debris covering nearby villages.
• Authorities have warned residents to stay clear of a 7-kilometer exclusion zone.

Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki erupted on Saturday, August 2, sending a towering ash column up to 18 kilometers (11.2 miles) high, following a previous eruption the same evening. This volcano, located in East Nusa Tenggara Province, has been one of the country’s most active, prompting the volcanology agency to issue warnings for residents to avoid a 6-7 kilometer radius from the crater due to potential dangers such as mudflows and falling debris, according to Reuters and Channel News Asia.

The initial eruption on Friday evening sent ash clouds that reached heights of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), illuminating the night sky with volcanic lightning. No casualties were reported from either eruption, but the sequential events occurred within a five-hour window, presenting serious risks to local communities and air travel, reports Los Angeles Times and Anadolu Agency.

As a result of these eruptions, about 14 flights were canceled at El Tari Airport in Kupang, with further disruptions occurring at Bali's I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport. The volcano's activity is being closely monitored, as prior eruptions have had devastating effects on local populations, including one in November that resulted in nine fatalities and numerous injuries, according to Channel News Asia, South China Morning Post, and Anadolu Agency.