Volcanic eruption in Indonesia forces evacuations and flight cancellations

Indonesia's Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted with giant ash and smoke plumes again Wednesday after forcing evacuations of villages and flight cancellations, including to and from the resort island of Bali.

LEMBATA, Indonesia — Indonesia’s Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted with giant ash and smoke plumes again Wednesday after forcing evacuations of villages and flight cancellations, including to and from the resort island of Bali.

Several eruptions sent ash up to 16,400 feet into the sky Tuesday evening to Wednesday afternoon. An eruption Tuesday afternoon sent thick, gray clouds about 32,800 feet into the sky that expanded into a mushroom-shaped ash cloud visible as much as 93 miles away.

The eruption alert was raised Tuesday to the highest level and the danger zone where people are recommended to leave was expanded to 5 miles from the crater.

Officers also evacuated from the Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki monitoring post 4.3 miles from the crater to avoid falling gravel released in the eruption. No casualties have been reported.

People in Maumere, Indonesia, watching as Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupts on Tuesday.APAsh and debris fell in a number of places outside the danger zone, including the villages of Boru, Hewa and Watobuku. Some residents from Nurabelen village in Ile Bura subdistrict fled to evacuation sites in Konga to avoid the impact of the eruption, the National Disaster Management Agency said in a statement.