This Copernicus Sentinel-2 image from Nov. 13, 2024, shows the Lewotobi Laki Laki volcano eruption on the island of Flores in southern Indonesia. 

Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki started spewing ash and smoke on Nov. 4, 2024. It has, so far, killed at least 10 people and forced authorities to issue large-scale evacuations. The volcanic ash cloud also caused hundreds of flights to be cancelled. The image clearly depicts the huge plume of ash and smoke spewing from the volcano and drifting westwards. 

Laki Laki is one of two adjacent stratovolcanoes on Mount Lewotobi. The volcano summits, which are less than 2 kilometers apart, are known locally as the husband-and-wife mountains. Laki Laki means man, while its taller and broader spouse to its southeast is called Perempuan, or woman. While Perempuan has been dormant for decades, Laki Laki is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia. 

The country is prone to earthquakes, landslides and volcanic activity because it sits along the ‘Ring of Fire’, a continuous string of volcanoes and fault lines circling the Pacific Ocean. 

Image Credit: Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2024), processed by ESA