Farmers On The Slope Of Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, Are Still Active Despite The Eruption

One of the farmers is active with the peak background of Mount Marapi, which is still surviving due to an eruption on Monday (4/12/2023). Between/Altas Maulana.

PADANG - Farmers around the slopes of Mount Marapi, West Sumatra, are seen to be still active even though the eruption occurs. The local village government has also issued an appeal to prohibit temporary activities. "We have given warnings and warnings to the residents of Batu Palano, 90 percent of which are farmers. But a small number are still active," said Batu Palano Village Head Darizal, quoted from Antara, Monday, December 4. The appeal was in the form of vigilance and always monitoring the development of the eruption of the Marapi volcano. The village government also uses loudspeakers in local mosques and prayer rooms. Darizal revealed that residents around the slopes of the mountain are used to gusts of volcanic ash even though the eruption that occurred last Sunday had greater intensity. "At the beginning of the eruption, most of them immediately stopped farming because of the considerable roar, but not long after they returned to work as usual," he said. According to him, Batu Palano, which is five kilometers from the top of Mount Marapi, is the entry point for mountain climbers, but at the beginning the eruption was not clearly visible because it was covered in fog. "Incidentally, there were no eruptions, only vibrations were felt and it was suspected that the residents were small earthquakes, there were five small villages or jorongs in this area, Jorong Simpang 4, Simpang 3, Padang Tarok, Giring-Giring and Aceh Baru," said Darizal. He revealed that until now, the Batu Palano area of the Pua River has not suffered any significant losses, especially since there have been casualties. One of the chili farmers in Batu Palano, Husniah (50) said that her son had banned her from going to the fields for fear of being affected by the eruption, but she insisted on continuing to work. "Initially it was forbidden for children, but because the previous eruption was also not too disturbing, I just went back to the fields," he said. The Pua River is a fertile agricultural area in West Sumatra with a variety of agricultural products in the form of chilies, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage and mustard.

"The harvest results this season are quite successful, we sell all outside the region, the most orders to Riau," Husniah concluded.