Indonesia volcano erupts, forcing airport to close

Key points

• A highly active volcano in eastern Indonesia erupted several times on Friday (June 5, 2026), spewing towering ash columns into the sky and forcing a local airport to close, authorities said.
• Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki on Flores Island erupted at 11:15 a.m. (0315 GMT), sending volcanic material 2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles) into the air, the national volcanology agency said in a statement.
• It came after several other eruptions earlier on Friday (June 5, 2026).
• Lewotobi Laki-Laki falls under Indonesia’s second-highest alert level for volcanic activity, with a five-kilometre exclusion zone in force around its crater.
• The volcanology agency said residents near rivers should also remain on alert for hazardous floods of volcanic material, known as lahar, if heavy rain occurs.