REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG -- Increased seismic activity reported in Mount Lewotobi located in the Flores Timur district in Indonesia's eastern province of East Nusa Tenggara has led officials to raise its danger status to alert level II.
The volcano's seismicity has shown a marked increase as the crater is emitting smoke, Head of Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency Tini Thadeus stated here on Friday.
"We have received a report that the PVMBG (the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency) has raised the danger status of the mountain to alert level II," he noted.
After the alert status was raised, the people living on the slope of the mountain have been urged to stay vigilant for any kind of eventuality.
"We have already issued a warning to the people living on the slope of Lewotobi," he added.
He emphasized that if the mountain indeed erupts, then the lava can flow southward to Flores Timur or to the sea.
He believes that the people already know how to escape in case the volcano erupts, since they have already been given directives about it.
Meanwhile, Mount Rokatenda, which erupted at the end of December 2013, is now still emitting molten lava, and in view of that, the people have been advised to remain alert and stay away from the mountain.
"We have already put up a no-zone sign," he claimed.
The residents of Palue Island, where the volcano is located, had fled to Maumere, the capital of Sikka district, after its eruption. However, they have now chosen to return home after the danger status of the mountain was reduced.
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