BNPB: 5,464 People Refuge Due To Mount Lewotobi Eruption

BETWEEN PHOTOS/Mega Tokan/sgd/nym

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that 5,464 people were displaced due to the increase in volcanic activity that occurred in Mount Lewotobi Male in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said the refugees consisted of 2,659 men and 2,805 women.

"The data is evident from the total, including 575 elderly people, 312 children, 118 breastfeeding mothers, 76 toddlers, 23 pregnant women, and 12 people with disabilities," said Muhari as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 11.

The highest number of refugees, he continued, came from Wulanggitang District, which reached 3,609 people, followed by refugees from Titehena District, which reached 1,698 people.

The local government has declared an emergency status for the natural disaster of the Lewotobi Male Volcano eruption for 14 days starting from January 1 to 14, 2024.

Through the determination of status, he said, local governments can optimize resources for emergency handling, especially the handling of displaced residents.

On January 9, 2024 at 23.00 WITA, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) determined the change in the status of volcanic activity from Level III or Alert to Level IV or Alert.

PVMBG recommends that people do not move within a four-kilometer radius from the top of the mountain and sectoral five kilometers northwest to north.

BNPB has provided support for emergency handling in the form of ready-to-use funds and food and non-food needs. In addition, today BNPB also sent a team to assist BPBD in handling emergency, one of which is information management.