Earlier this month, the Lewotobi volcano produced a truly tremendous explosion. Within minutes, an area of 5 square miles had been incinerated, and an eruption plume would subsequently rise to an elevation of more than 60,000 feet. This video analyzes footage of that eruption's first moments (on July 7th, 2025) via the opinion and analysis of a geologist. Thumbnail Photo Credit: Frame grab from a video by Rahay Mua Maumere, Posted on Facebook, User link: https://www.facebook.com/rahay.mua.maumere, Video link: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/176kEZQqUh/. This image was overlaid with text, and then overlaid with GeologyHub made graphics (the image border & the GeologyHub logo). A special thanks to and Rahay Mua Maumere (https://www.facebook.com/rahay.mua.maumere) and Shakhy Puka (https://www.facebook.com/shakhy.puka/) for granting me permission to use footage they took of Lewotobi's July 7th eruption! If you would like to support this channel, consider using one of the following links: (Patreon: http://patreon.com/geologyhub) (YouTube membership: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYeGh5VML5XPr5jYnzh3J6g/join) (Gemstone & Mineral Etsy store: http://prospectingarizona.etsy.com) (GeologyHub Merch Etsy store: http://geologyhub.etsy.com) Google Earth imagery used in this video: ©Google & Data Providers This video is protected under "fair use". If you see an image and/or video which is your own in this video, and/or think my discussion of a scientific paper (and/or discussion/mentioning of the data/information within a scientific paper) does not fall under the fair use doctrine, and wish for it to be censored or removed, contact me by email at [email protected] and I will make the necessary changes. Sources/Citations: [1] PVMBG (Indonesia) (Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi) (Indonesia) [2] VEIs, dates/years, composition, tephra layer name, DRE estimates, and bulk tephra volume estimates for volcanic eruptions shown in this video which were assigned a VEI 4 or larger and are not Lewotobi's 2025 eruption are sourced from the LaMEVE database (British Geological Survey © UKRI), https://www2.bgs.ac.uk/vogripa/view/controller.cfc?method=lameve, Used with Permission [3] Source of Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) methodology and criteria: Newhall, C. G., and Self, S. (1982), The volcanic explosivity index (VEI) an estimate of explosive magnitude for historical volcanism, J. Geophys. Res., 87(C2), 1231–1238, doi:10.1029/JC087iC02p01231. 0:00 Major Lewotobi Eruption 2:14 Pyroclastic Flow Extent 3:09 Rotating Plume 3:59 Eruption Cycles