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Report on Lewotolok (Indonesia) — 28 July-3 August 2021


Lewotolok

Smithsonian Institution / US Geological Survey
Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 28 July-3 August 2021
Managing Editor: Sally Sennert.

Please cite this report as:

Global Volcanism Program, 2021. Report on Lewotolok (Indonesia) (Sennert, S, ed.). Weekly Volcanic Activity Report, 28 July-3 August 2021. Smithsonian Institution and US Geological Survey.

Weekly Report (28 July-3 August 2021)

Lewotolok

Indonesia

8.274°S, 123.508°E; summit elev. 1431 m

All times are local (unless otherwise noted)


PVMBG reported that the Strombolian eruption at Lewotolok continued during 27 July-2 August. Daily white, gray, and black plumes rose as high as 1 km above the summit and drifted in multiple directions. At 0023 on 28 July an eruptive event accompanied by a loud bang ejected incandescent lava 700-800 m from the crater. At 0722 another event ejected incandescent lava 1 km SE. Vegetated areas on the S and SW flanks caught fire, which quickly spread to the SE and W flanks due to dry conditions, burning forest as far as 2 km from the crater. At 0840 on 30 July lava was again ejected 1 km SE and loud rumbling was reported. By the morning of 30 July, the fire on the flanks was less intense and declining, but remained active at least through 1 August. Banging noises were reported on 31 July and 2 August. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a scale of 1-4) and the public was warned to stay 3 km away from the summit crater.

Geological Summary. The Lewotolok (or Lewotolo) stratovolcano occupies the eastern end of an elongated peninsula extending north into the Flores Sea, connected to Lembata (formerly Lomblen) Island by a narrow isthmus. It is symmetrical when viewed from the north and east. A small cone with a 130-m-wide crater constructed at the SE side of a larger crater forms the volcano's high point. Many lava flows have reached the coastline. Eruptions recorded since 1660 have consisted of explosive activity from the summit crater.

Sources: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM), Badan Nacional Penanggulangan Bencana (BNPB)