Mount Ili Lewotolok Erupts Again Today, Ash Reaches 800 Meters

Mount Ili Lewotolok in East Nusa Tenggara erupted again on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 6:16 PM WITA. In the last week, Mount Ili Lewotolok has erupted 11 times.

Based on eruption information from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) via the MAGMA Indonesia application, the observed ash column height reached 800 meters above the peak (2,223 meters above sea level).

The ash column was observed to be gray with thick intensity towards the north and northeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 17 millimeters and a duration of 76 seconds.

According to the MAGMA Indonesia volcanic activity report, the activity level of Mount Ili Lewotolok is at Level II (Alert). Observations of seismicity on February 24, 2024, from 00:00 to 23:59 WITA showed 9 eruption quakes with amplitudes of 8.6-35.3 millimeters and durations of 36-174 seconds.

Furthermore, there were 12 rockfall quakes with amplitudes of 1.8-3.3 mm and durations of 26-245 seconds, and 360 tremor quakes with amplitudes of 2.7-19.6 millimeters and durations of 40-296 seconds.

PVMBG advises the public around Mount Ili Lewotolok, as well as visitors/climbers/tourists, not to enter or carry out activities within a 2-kilometer radius of the center of Mount Ili Lewotolok's activity. The residents of Lamawolo, Lamatokan, and Jontona villages should remain vigilant against potential hazards from lava collapses/landslides and pyroclastic flows from the east, south, and southeast of the peak/crater of Mount Ili Lewotolok.

During 2024, MAGMA Indonesia has recorded 262 volcanic eruptions throughout Indonesia. Mount Marapi in West Sumatra had the most eruptions (72 times), while Mount Ili Lewotolok erupted 21 times.