Mount Semeru Sloping Activities, Refugees Choose To Return Home

Mount Semeru a few days ago (DOK ANTARA)

SURABAYA - Refugees from Mount Semeru in Supiturang Village, Pronojiwo District, Lumajang Regency, East Java, chose to return to their homes. The reason is that they consider the eruption activity of Mount Semeru to be sloping.

"Yes, it is true, in fact most of them (refugees, red) have returned to their respective homes. But there are only a few who still survive, less than 10 people who are still in the evacuation," said Head of Disaster Management and Logistics BPBD Lumajang Regency, Wawan Hadi, confirmed, Wednesday, December 2.

Wawan admitted that he did not know the exact reason the refugees returned to their homes. He said the activities of Mount Semeru are currently starting to decline.

He also ensured that the eruption of Mount Semeru did not cause casualties, and there were no reports of damage to houses from this phenomenon. Most of the settlements around the mountain are only covered in dust.

"The amount of the loss is still unknown, because we still have to wait for the emergency response period to end. After the emergency response is completed, we will calculate the total loss," said Wawan.

As per the rules, the emergency response period usually spends seven days. However, in the case of Mount Semeru, BPBD still has to wait for a decision from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG). If the activity of Mount Semeru is decided to have sloping down, the emergency response period is over.