Early Morning, Two Grandfathers Trapped In Semeru's Cold Lava Flood Successfully Evacuated

The process of evacuating residents trapped by the cold lava of Mount Semeru in Bades Village, Pasirian District, Lumajang Regency, Monday (3/1/2022) early in the morning. (ANTARA/HO-BPBD Lumajang)

LUMAJANG - Two grandfathers who were trapped in the cold lava flood of Mount Semeru were successfully evacuated by an evacuation team led by the Commander of the Pasirian Koramil (Danramil) Captain Arm Ony Arianto in the early hours of Monday, January 3rd.

Two residents, namely Suara (60) and Buang (50) residents of Purut Hamlet, Bades Village, Pasirian District, Lumajang Regency were trapped by the cold lava flood of Mount Semeru on Arsad Subekti land which is in the middle of the Regoyo River, Krajan Hamlet, Bades Village, District Pasirian, Sunday, January 2 afternoon.

"We evacuated the older residents first, namely Mr. Suara finished evacuating at 01.15 western Indonesia time and the second evacuation of Mr. Buang was completed at 01.45 western Indonesia time," said the Pasirian Danramil Captain Arm Ony Arianto in a short message received by Antara in Lumajang, Monday, January 3.

According to him, the emergency victim process was completed at 02.30 western Indonesia time and the shift of evacuation personnel and the release of infrastructure at the location was completed at 04.30 western Indonesia time.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Division of the Lumajang Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Joko Sambang, said that the evacuation was carried out considering the volume of water flow did not recede and it was feared that a follow-up cold lava flood would occur.

The chronology of the evacuation carried out by the joint team, namely, on Sunday, January 2 at 23.00 western Indonesia time, the evacuation team from the Lumajang Regency BPBD arrived at the location of the Regoyo River flow, Krajan Hamlet, Bades Village, Pasirian District.

At 23.15 western Indonesia time, the evacuation team carried out a briefing led by Danramil 0821/08 Pasirian Captain Arm Ony Ariyanto and then the evacuation team prepared equipment to evacuate two people trapped in the Regoyo River flow. On Monday at 01.15 western Indonesia time, Mr. Suara was evacuated first due to old age and for evacuation using a hanging crossing method with a rope stretched and tied to a coconut tree.

Then the second evacuation was carried out at 01.45 western Indonesia time to save Mr. Buang in the same way to the north side of the river and at 02.00 western Indonesia time, the victim was escorted to their respective homes by health workers after checking their health condition.

At 04.30 western Indonesia time, the evacuation activity was completed safely and smoothly, and the two victims were safe.

"Officers at the evacuation site, namely from the Koramil 0821/08 Pasirian, Pasirian Police, BPBD Lumajang, health workers and volunteers," he said.

Previously, the Deputy Regent of Lumajang Indah Amperawati reviewed the location of the trapped two residents of Bades Village on Sunday (2/1) night and made sure that the two residents who were isolated due to the cold lava flood of Mount Semeru were continuously monitored and immediately evacuated.

According to local residents, Buang and Suara with their pet buffalo were trapped while planting crops and when the cold lava came, both of them were trying to save themselves, but they were trapped in the middle of the Regoyo River which was quite heavy due to the cold lava flood.