BMKG: Labuan Bajo Air While Cleaning Volcanic Ash Distribution Of Mount Lewotobi Men

Labuan Bajo City was observed from Puncak Waringin Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). BETWEEN/Gecio Viana

JAKARTA - The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) stated that for the time being the airspace of West Manggarai Regency (Mabar), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), was free from the spread of volcanic ash from Mount Lewotobi, the man who erupted again since September 19, 2025.

"The distribution of volcanic ash from Mount Lewotobi The man had arrived in the West Manggarai airspace, even last night at 22.00 WITA still showed that our airspace was still included in the polygon of the spread of volcanic ash," said Head of Komodoological Station Maria Seran when contacted in Labuan Bajo, Sunday, confiscated by Antara.

He added that the West Manggarai airspace was declared clean from the spread of volcanic ash based on satellite monitoring and reports of pilots from flights passing over Labuan Bajo reported visually that there was no spread of volcanic ash.

"Because apart from real time monitoring in addition to using satellites, it is also based on a pilot report that crosses the surrounding area, this does not mean that it is heading to a polygon area, because the marked area must be avoided by creating a new route," said Maria.

Maria also explained that although the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Male in East Flores Regency this time was not as easy as in the eruption a few months ago, the eruption occurred continuously.

"The eruption is not explosive but the distribution of ash can reach West Manggarai because of the continuous (intermittent) eruption with a consistent and accumulated supply of volcanic ash in the air and if it is supported by a consistent wind from easteastern and without rain, it can also increase the chance of spreading volcanic ash to far away," said Maria.

Maria added that based on monitoring the image of the volcanic ash satellite, there was no longer detectable the spread of volcanic ash in West Manggarai's airspace because it could be covered with clouds or have been more smoothly decomposed in the air so that with itslimitation, the satellite could no longer detect it.

"Reports from the ground observation post stated that the eruption was still ongoing in an intermittent manner, but in the polygon the spread of volcanic ash from this morning's eruption which was accompanied by predictions until 00.40 WITA tonight showed that the distribution did not reach West Manggarai," said Maria.

Maria also revealed that the main factor that caused volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Male can reach Labuan Bajo in West Manggarai is the wind pattern in every layer of the atmosphere and the height of the ash column.

The higher the ash column, he continued, the greater the chance that volcanic ash will spread everywhere because of the wind in each layer that has different directions and speeds,

"So the information in the volcanic ash (VA) sigmet news must be distinguished from the level of distribution," said Maria.

Meanwhile, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) recorded 27 earthquakes of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki in East Flores Regency in the period 19-20 September 2025.

This was conveyed by the Head of the Geological Agency Muhammad Wafid in a special report on the development of the activity of Mount Lewotobi Men Level IV (Awas) on September 20, 2025 at 21.00 WITA.

In the report, there were also two earthquake avalanches, nine earthquake gusts, one harmonic earthquake, 23 non-harmonic tremors, 18 low-frequency earthquakes, three deep volcanic earthquakes, five distant tectonic earthquakes, and one continuous tremor earthquake with an amplitude of 2.9 - 22 mm, the dominant of 14.8 mm.

"Visual activity shows that eruptions still occur with a fluctuating ash column between 800-6000 meters. Smoke is also seen coming out of the fracture on the northwest side, which indicates a weak zone and has the potential to become a new eruption route," said Muhammad Wafid.