PVMBG: New Lava Flow Appears On Mount Ile Lewotolok, Leads To The South-Southeast

The volcanic ash column soared as high as approximately 1,000 meters out of the crater of Mount Ili Lewotolok on Lembata Island, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara, Monday (26/2/2024). (ANTARA/HO-PVMBG)

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) revealed that the emergence of new lava flows was in line with the increase in activity of Mount Ile Lewotolok located on Lembata Island, Lembata Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). Head of PVMBG Hendra Gunawan said his party observed a new lava flow to the south and southeast as far as approximately 400 meters from the eruption center on February 15, 2024. "As of February 23, 2024, the new lava flow has reached a distance of approximately 1 kilometer to the southeast and 600 meters to the south," Hendra said in a statement quoted in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, February 26. Based on PVMBG observations, explosive eruptions are still ongoing and show an increase. The dominant lava ejection range is still around the crater area and can reach a distance of about 500 meters out of the crater. The potential threat of danger from incandescent lava or material must be watched out for, which is currently expected to remain within a two-kilometer radius of the activity center of Mount Ile Lewotolok. On February 24, 2024, PVMBG changed the recommendation distance because volcanic activity was still quite high on Mount Ile Lewotolok. PVMBG urges the public not to enter and not to carry out activities within a radius of 2 kilometers from the activity center of Mount Ile Lewotolok. For the people of Lamawolo Village, Lamatokan Village, and Jontona Village to always be aware of the potential threat of avalanche/longsoran of lava and hot clouds from the eastern part of the peak or crater. Then, the public is also advised not to enter and carry out activities within the southern and southeast sectors as far as 3 kilometers from the activity center. The potential threat of avalanches or lava avalanches and hot clouds from the south and southeast of the peak also needs to be watched out for by the public, including being aware of lava floods that can occur during the rainy season. On February 16-23, 2024, PVMBG recorded a large number of earthquake gusts reaching 2,562 times. Earthquake gusts are a more impulsive signal and are related to the process of releasing gas. PVMBG also recorded 60 eruptions, 17 avalanches earthquakes, 65 non-harmonic tremors, 31 hybrid earthquakes, 2 shallow volcanic earthquakes, 2 deep volcanic earthquakes, 3 local tectonic earthquakes, 3 distant tectonic earthquakes, and 1 continuous tremor.

Seismic energy is generally still fluctuating, but tends to rise. The volcanic earthquakes recorded are below Mount Ile Lewotolok with a depth ranging from 1.5 to 5.5 kilometers below Mount Ile Lewotolok.