REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WULANGGITANG -- The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) reminds of the potential flooding of Mount Lewotobi Mejan eruption rainland in the direction of Nobo Village, Ile Bura Subdistrict, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). “There are several locations indicated for lava flooding, namely in Nobo Village and Dulipali, especially in Nobo Village, the spread is quite widespread,” said PVMBG Earth Investigator, Sofyan Primulyana in Wulanggitang, East Flores District, Wednesday (17/1/2024).
The areas of Wulanggitang and Ile Bura Subdistricts have been showered with rain since Monday (15/1/2024), especially at night. One house of residents in Dulipali village, Ile Bura district has also been hit by lava rain flooding, which caused the house to be filled with mud material, with a height of up to 30 centimeters.
Sofyan said that high-intensity rains can cause cold lava floods on rivers upstream at the top of the mountain. According to him, the eruption is continuing so that the accumulation of material in the summit part is still continuing, which causes the lava potential to be still high. “People are therefore expected to follow the recommendations given by not entering the recommended radius,” he said.
PVMBG has expanded the radius of the ban on activity for the community to avoid the threat of an eruption of Mount Lewotobi Male. The public and visitors or tourists are prohibited from any activity within a four-kilometer radius of the eruption center, a five-kilometer sectoral to the north-northeast fig, and six kilometers of the northeast sector.
The expanded prohibition area recommendation referred to an evaluation of visual observations and instrumental monitoring that indicated a significant increase in the activity of Mount Lewotobi Male. “The data indicates that volcanic material previously located within the volcano has reached the surface and was pushed out of the crater of Mount Lewotobi Male,” PVMBG Chief Hendra Gunawan said in an official report received in East Flores late on Tuesday.
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