Emergency Alert Of Mount Marapi West Sumatra Extended Until February 25

Mount Marapi during an eruption. The Agam Regency Government has determined an extension of the emergency alert status for one month until February 25, 2024. (Between/Altas Maulana).

BUKITTINGGI - The emergency alert status of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra has been extended for the next month based on the decision of a cross-sectoral evaluation meeting of the Agam Regency Government, TNI-Polri and the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG). "After listening to the PVMBG explanation and the results of the joint evaluation with the TNI-Polri and other Marapi standby teams, we have determined an extension of the emergency alert status from tomorrow to February 25, 2024," said Head of the Agam Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Bambang Warsito in Bukittinggi, as reported by Antara, Wednesday, January 24. He said the evaluation meeting was held at the headquarters of Kodim 0304 Agam in Bukittinggi City with the latest condition material for Mount Marapi, which is still experiencing an eruption. "This emergency alert status is the second after the initial determination of the January 10 to January 24 emergency alert which ends today," said Bambang. He said the Marapi standby team would take various disaster mitigation steps, including widening roads on the evacuation route. "The road widening will soon be carried out with the initial stages of the agreement of local residents, especially in Bukit Batabuah Village. There are 12 points planned to anticipate the worst possibility," said Bambang. In addition, the local district government is trying to prevent upstream rivers from the top of Mount Marapi and normalize water flow to residential areas. "The installation of Sabo or detention has been coordinated with West Sumatra Province," he said. For local residents, BPBD continues to intensify the socialization of wearing masks and simulation efforts in schools and residential areas around a radius of 4.5 kilometers.

"Socialization familiarizes people at risk of being affected by the eruption by always wearing masks, especially school children. In addition, trauma healing programs continue to be implemented," he said.