Lembata Regency Government Creates Fire Light To Anticipate The Flow Of Mount Lewotolok Lava

Visual lava flow from the western sector of Ile Lewotolok Volcano in Lembata, NTT, Monday (27/5/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Badan Geology)

MAUMERE - Lembata Regency Government (Pemkab), East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has created a fire to prevent the lava flow of Mount Ile Lewotolok from burning vegetation and moving into residential areas.

"Sudah buat ilaran api agar api tidak meluas," kata Kepala Pelaksana Badan Penanggulangan Bencana Daerah (BPBD) Kabupaten Lembata Andris Koban dikutip ANTARA, Kamis, 30 Mei.

This step was taken because BPBD Lembata received a report from the Ile Lewotolok Volcano Observation Post that there was an additional lava flow distance that needed to be anticipated if it burned vegetation around.

Ilaran is an insulation in forest or land areas so that the fire does not spread to other areas that are wider, especially residential areas.

The move was also initiated by the Amakaka Village Government, the village west of the volcano which is a potential direction for the lava flow, and assisted by the Lembata BPBD team.

"So if the place or lane is clean, the fire dies," he said.

Regarding the activity of the volcanic eruption which is now at Level III or Alert, Andris appealed to the people of Amakaka Village and its surroundings not to carry out activities within the western sector of three km from the center of mountain activity.

The public is also asked to be aware of the potential threat of danger from avalanches or lava avalanches and hot clouds from the west of the peak.

"Use masks or mouth and nose protections, as well as other equipment to protect the eyes and skin in order to avoid exposure to the ash of the eruption," said Andris.

Previously, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) said that there was an increase in the lava flow distance in the western sector of Mount Ile Lewotolok.

Head of the Ile Lewotolok Volcano Observation Post Jeffry Pugel said the results of the air photo processing on Monday (27/5) recorded an increase in the distance from the western sector's lava flow from 1,200 meters to 1,300 meters from the crater's lips.

He explained that the expansion of the lava flow was not significant from before, but it was necessary to anticipate if the lava flow burned the surrounding vegetation, then spread to residential areas.

As a mitigation measure, his party has also coordinated with the Lembata Regency BPBD, especially through updating public information related to the evaluation of the mountain activity.