Giant volcano in Indonesia erupts prompting urgent warning across country

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province was belching volcanic ash clouds 18 kilometres (11 miles) into the sky after an 'explosive eruption', the country's volcanology agency said. The explosion, which the agency said came with loud thuds, comes nearly one month after the volcano erupted and spewed towering ash clouds 11 kilometres high, leading to flight cancellations in and out of the nearby island of Bali. Lewotobi Laki-laki's alert level status remains at its most severe on Monday, Indonesia's volcanology agency said, warning tourists to stay outside a 6-km radius around the volcano and keep their distance from expected lava flows in the area.