On the eastern Indonesian island of Flores, a volcanic eruption sent an ash column more than 26,000 feet into the sky, leading to evacuations and cancellations of flights. The Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano erupted Thursday night, with two more eruptions following into Friday. As a result, flights between Australia and Bali were called off amid concerns over the ash’s presence in the skies.

The danger level has been raised to its highest, and a 7-to-8-mile exclusion zone has been established around the volcano. The government has called an emergency and evacuated over 4,700 people. Burn injuries from ash falls have been reported among plantation workers. Authorities caution against mudslides due to potential heavy rain.

In a previous eruption in November, nine people died, and many others were injured. Indonesia is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, known for its high volcanic activity.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/indonesia-volcano-eruption-forces-thousands-to-evacuate/a-71996999?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf