BNPB-PVMBG Monitors Sedimens In Hulu Sungai, Gunung Marapi Area

Sightings of the Batang Katiak River in Agam Regency after the lava and rain floods that hit the area on Saturday (11/5/2024). (ANTARA/Muhammad Zulfikar)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) together with the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) monitored sediments in the river channel which originates in the Mount Marapi area, West Sumatra.

"Visual observations are carried out to focus on the location of the affected and upstream areas of the river on Mount Marapi, especially on the river channel with vegetation damaged by the flow of lava and rain floods," said PVMBG researcher Mamay Sumaryadi in Padang, Saturday.

He explained that observing the observation of traces of water levels on cliff walls from vegetation that were swept away by water would provide an overview of the condition of the water discharge during the disaster. In addition, air observations also aim to map the potential locations that sabo dam will build, as an effort to mitigate to prevent similar disasters from happening again.

From these air observations, BNPB together with PVMBG saw damage to vegetation to the remains of sediments that were still stuck on the slopes of the mountain, and around the river.

"Based on the results of observations, the sediment is the remainder of the rain lava flood that occurred," he said, quoted by Antara.

Mamay Sumaryadi explained that as a follow-up to observations, his party will calculate the remaining sediments that are still stuck on the slopes and around the river.

These results will later become one of the evaluation materials to determine the location of the Sabo dam development planned by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing.

Not only that, BNPB together with PVMBG also mapped whether there are still areas that have the potential to be affected in the event of a further disaster, especially those that are included in the disaster-prone area (KRB) that has been issued by PVMBG. If any, then these areas will also be proposed for the construction of Sabo dam in the next stage.