Lumajang Regency Government Has Determined 14 Days Of Emergency Response Period For Semeru Eruption

One of the mosques affected by the Semeru APG in Kajar Kuning Hamlet, Sumberwuluh Village, Candipuro District, Lumajang Regency/ANTARA

LUMAJANG - The Regency Government (Pemkab) of Lumajang, East Java, has set a disaster emergency response period due to an eruption accompanied by hot clouds of avalanches (APG) of Mount Semeru for 14 days. "I will immediately sign the emergency response 14 days from today and the Regent's Decree," said Lumajang Regent Thoriqul Haq when confirmed at the Penanggal Village Refugee Post, Candipuro District, Lumajang Regency, quoted from Antara, Sunday, December 4 evening. According to him, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has set the status of Mount Semeru to rise from Alert (Level III) to Alert (Level IV). "For this reason, people in the red zone are asked to vacate and evacuate themselves at the evacuation posts that have been provided," he said. In line with the status of Mount Semeru Watch, he continued, his party ordered all regional apparatus organizations (OPD) in accordance with their duties and functions to consolidate to meet the needs of the refugees. "This is so that it can be intervened because the refugees are scattered in several places and the distribution is wider," said the regent who is usually called Cak Thoriq. Meanwhile, when asked about the possibility of casualties, Cak Thoriq explained that his party still had no reports of the number of victims or reports of losses from the public. "We have not received any reports of casualties, only a few treatments have to be handled by the medical team, there was a baby who was a few months old but has received medical treatment at the puskesmas," he said. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) provides recommendations not to carry out any activities in the southeast sector along Besuk Kobokan as far as 17 km from the summit (the center of the eruption) as the status of Mount Semeru increases to be vigilant. Outside this distance, the community does not carry out activities at a distance of 500 meters from the riverbank (river border) along Besuk Kobokan because it has the potential to be affected by the expansion of hot clouds and lava flows up to 19 km. The public is also advised not to move within a radius of 8 km from the crater/peak of Mount Semeru because it is prone to the danger of throwing stones (pijar). Then be aware of the potential for hot clouds of avalanches (APG), lava avalanches, and lahars along rivers/valleys that originate at the peak of Mount Semeru, especially along Besuk Kobokan, Besuk Bang, Besuk Kembar, Besuk Sat and Kali Lanang as well as the potential for lahars in small rivers which are tributaries of Besuk Kobokan.