Volcanic Alert Systems Helped Keep People Safe During Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Eruption

There are over 100 active volcanoes in Indonesia, including Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, which recently erupted in June 2025, and Mount Ili Lewotolok, which has just begun showing an increase in activity levels. 

When these regions in Indonesia begin to see an increase in activity, officials from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) will raise the warning scale through MAGMA Indonesia. The scale ranges from 1 to 4 and is in place to help save lives. 

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Eruption

In May 2025, PVMBG gave Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki a level 4 warning, urging residents to evacuate the area as an eruption was imminent. In mid-June 2025, the volcano erupted, sending ash 16,400 feet in the air. Thick, gray clouds were also propelled into the air, and a mushroom-like cloud could be seen 93 miles away.  

Area residents were asked to evacuate to an area about 5 miles away from the volcano’s crater. As of June 19, 2025, nearly 5,000 people have been displaced by the volcano, with no reported casualties. 

As of July 2, 2025, PVMBG has raised the alert on Mount Ili Lewotolok from a 1 to a 2, meaning we could soon see an eruption from there as well. 

Read More: The Axial Seamount Volcano Could Still Erupt in 2025, and Benefit Marine Life

Indonesia’s Volcanic Activity Levels

Due to Indonesia’s volcanic activity, MAGMA Indonesia monitors and informs the area about ongoing volcanic activity. They’ve broken down volcanic activity levels, like the one at Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki and Mount Ili Lewotolok, into four levels. 

• Level 1: Normal Status. Area residents can still go about their daily lives, but around the volcano, there may be signs of toxic gases, although this is not a common occurrence at every volcano.

• Level 2: Alert Status. There may be increased activity, but at this level, the public can continue with their daily activities as usual. The public should stay vigilant in case anything changes and an eruption occurs. 

• Level 3: Alert Status. The volcano may be erupting, and there is an obvious change in activity. The public should avoid the area surrounding the volcano and, if in close proximity, begin preparing for evacuation.

• Level 4 Highest Alert: It has the same description as Level 3, except that the eruption is imminent. The surrounding residents should evacuate as soon as and as safely as possible.

Volcanic Observation Around the World 

Countries around the world have their own monitoring and alert systems in place to keep people safe from volcanic activity. In the U.S. the United States Geological Survey (USGS) uses a similar 4-level system that ranges from normal to advisory to watch to warning. Mexico also employs a 4-level system, whereas New Zealand utilizes a system that rates activity on a scale of 0 to 5.

Although some of the volcano activity and alert systems operate on a different scale, most countries seem to follow the same volcanic aviation scale, known as the Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation (VONA). This color-coded system keeps air traffic safe. The colors green, yellow, orange, and red indicate whether airplanes should fly in the area. 

Read More: How Ancient Volcanoes Helped Create the Air We Breathe Today

This article is a republished version of this previously published article here.

Article Sources

Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:

• Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation. Special Report On Change In Activity Level Of Mt. Lewotobi Male From Level Iii (Alert) To Level Iv (Alert) May 18, 2025

• Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation. Special Report On The Increase In Activity Level Of Ili Lewotolok Volcano From Level Ii (Alert) To Level Iii (Alert) On July 2, 2025 At 20.00 Wita

• MAGMA Indonesia

• MAGMA Indonesia. Eruption Information

• MAGMA Indonesia. Volcanic Activity Level

• USGS. Volcanic alert-levels characterize conditions at U.S. volcanoes

• GeoNet. Volcanic Alert Levels

• MAGMA Indonesia. What is VONA?

• Antara. Minister of Social Affairs establishes 8 public kitchens for 4,954 Mount Lewotobi victims

A graduate of UW-Whitewater, Monica Cull wrote for several organizations, including one that focused on bees and the natural world, before coming to Discover Magazine. Her current work also appears on her travel blog and Common State Magazine. Her love of science came from watching PBS shows as a kid with her mom and spending too much time binging Doctor Who.

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