The Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) reported that an eruption at Lewotolok was ongoing during 19-25 March. White steam-and-gas plumes rose as high as 400 m above the summit and drifted NE, E, and SE on most days; weather conditions obscured views during 22-23 March. At 0639, 0718, and 0850 on 19 March ash plumes that were gray or gray-to-black rose 300-700 m above the summit and drifted E. At 0454 on 20 March a dense gray-to-black ash plume rose 700 m above the summit and drifted E, and at 1616 on 24 March a dense gray ash plume rose 100 m and drifted E. Another dense gray ash plume rose 300 m and drifted E at 0627 on 25 March. Incandescent material being ejected above the summit was visible in a webcam image from 0453 on 20 March. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4) and the public was warned to stay 2 km away from the vent and 2.5 km away on the S, SE, and W flanks.

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.

Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)