BNPB Still Bans Residents From 5 Km Activities From Mount Lewotobi Flores Men

DOCUMENTATION/Visual Mount Lewotobi Male in East Flores, NTT who experienced an eruption, Friday (2/2/2024). (ANTARA/HO-PVMBG)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) still prohibits residents from doing activities at a radius of 4-5 kilometers (Km) from the top of Mount Lewotobi Laki, East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara even though post-eruption status has dropped to standby.

"Residents are still absolutely not allowed to have activity at that specified radius," said Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Abdul Muhari as reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 5.

He explained that the ban was carried out at a radius of 4 km from the general direction of East and South and 5 kilometers from the west and north of the top of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

This was done referring to the results of the thermal sonar monitoring of BPNB which found that there were still hot melting of volcanic material and any objects burned in the area in the past week that were dangerous for residents.

Moreover, he said, the distance between the melting and residential and agricultural land belonging to residents was reported to be only 2 km apart, so they still had to occupy evacuation tents.

"Joint officers in the field are still on standby to monitor the safety of local residents," he said.

BNPB data reports that since Mount Lewotobi The first male eruption on January 23, 2024, at least until Sunday (4/2) there have been 5,547 residents living in refugee camps. Four of them were declared dead.

The refugee camps are spread over 44 points equipped with local BNPB and BPBD with medical equipment, public kitchens, clean water and safe from being threatened with volcanic material for the 1,584 MDPL.