Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Eruption

Context:

• On November 5, 2024, Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in eastern Indonesia erupted, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people and prompting authorities to evacuate nearby villages.

About Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki:

• Location: Situated on Flores Island, within East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia.
• Volcanic System: Part of a twin-volcano system with the male counterpart known as Lewotobi Laki-Laki and the female counterpart as Lewotobi Perempuan.
• Type of Volcano: Stratovolcano, formed by repeated layers of lava that emerge from the volcano's crater.

Stratovolcanoes:

• Characteristics: Tall, steep, cone-shaped volcanoes with higher peaks compared to flatter shield volcanoes.
• Formation: Typically occur above subduction zones, areas where one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, resulting in volcanic activity.
• Volcanic Activity: Stratovolcanoes are known for eruptions of andesite and dacite lavas, which are cooler and more viscous than basalt.

• Ring of Fire: Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki is part of Indonesia’s Ring of Fire, a region known for its frequent seismic activity, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, due to the movement and collision of tectonic plates.

This eruption is one of the many in Indonesia, a country situated along the Ring of Fire, which is dotted with active volcanoes due to the complex tectonic plate interactions in the region.