Six people died following a volcanic explosion on a secluded Indonesian island.

Tragedy struck the Indonesian island of Flores as six people lost their lives in a string of volcanic eruptions. The local authorities confirmed the fatalities after Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted in the early hours of Monday, spewing hot ash onto a nearby village in the East Nusa Tenggara province.

The intensity of the eruptions was evident as thick, fiery ash engulfed the village and set several homes ablaze, including a convent of Catholic nuns. According to CNN, an official at the Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki monitoring post described the scene as chaotic and devastating.

Initially, there were reports of nine deaths, but the Disaster Management Agency later revised the death toll to six. As a precautionary measure, a 7-kilometre radius around the mountain was evacuated as the hot ash rose 2000 metres into the air.

Hadi Wijaya, spokesperson for the Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, shared that the eruption was followed by wild weather and power outages, causing further distress among the residents. In an interview with Reuters, he stated, "After the eruption, there was a power outage, and then it started raining heavily with big lightning, which caused panic among the residents."

The aftermath of the disaster is still being assessed, and the full extent of the fatalities and damage is yet to be determined. Local media reported that some people were trapped and buried under the debris of their collapsed homes.

It is not the first time that Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki has erupted. The last time it spewed volcanic ash was in January. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families, and we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

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