SAR Team Patrol Radius 5 Kilometers From Puncak Erupsi Lewotobi East Flores

Visual lava flows seen from Nobo Village, Ile Bura District, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, Thursday (11/1/2024) night. (ANTARA/Fransiska Mariana Nuka)

JAKARTA - The Joint SAR team is actively conducting patrols and monitoring at a radius of five kilometers from the peak of the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki after increasing the status of the mountain from Alert to Alert since Tuesday (9/1).

"We checked the residents who entered the five-kilometer area because many residents were still returning home because they thought it was safe," said the Operations Coordinator of the Mount Lewotobi Male Basarnas, Yudha Pradana Putra, in Wulanggitang District, East Flores, as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, January 11.

As recommended from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), the public is prohibited from carrying out any activity within a four-kilometer radius from the peak of the eruption or sectoral five kilometers to the northwest-north.

The village that is included within that radius is Dulipali Village in Ile Bura District.

Patrols and monitoring were also carried out in Nobo and Nukolen villages which were observed to be the direction of the lava flow.

On this recommendation, the joint SAR team followed every road in the village to ensure that no more residents lived at home, especially vulnerable residents such as elderly parents, women, and children.

They also approach their families or residents who want to be evacuated to the posts.

"Every day we do checks," he said.

In addition to conducting patrols, the Joint SAR Team for mapping and monitoring uses unmanned aircraft.

The thermal version tool owned by Basarnas Maumere can detect heat, then use an infrared-red camera to find out the hotspots.

He said the results of monitoring were coordinated with the volcanic observation post.

In addition, the existing visuals are an illustration of the rescue team to take the necessary evacuation measures.

"The air mapping is also a step for the evacuation plan if needed," he said.

The Joint SAR team consists of Basarnas Maumere, the NTT Police Mobile Brigade Unit, the NTT Police Polairud Unit, PMI Sikka, and other SAR potentials.