Six Villages In East Flores Asked To Be Alert To The Impact Of The Men's Lewotobi Mountain Eruption

Visual Lewotobi Pria (right) and Lewotobi Perempuan (left), in East Flores, NTT, Sunday (2/6/2024). (ANTARA/Fransiska Mariana Nuka)

The Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) reminded six villages in East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), to be aware of the dangers of volcanic ash due to the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

"In Wulanggitang District, there are Nawokote, Klatanto, and Hokeng Jaya villages. Meanwhile, Ile Bura sub-districts are in Dulipali, Nobo, and Nujulen villages," said Head of the Center for Volcano Monitoring and Disaster Mitigation of the Land Movement of the Nusa Tenggara Region. The Geological Agency of Zakarias Ghele Raja when contacted by Antara from Larantuka, the capital of East Flores Regency, Sunday.

He reminded the residents of the six villages to take anticipatory steps, such as wearing masks to avoid rain of volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

This is because the eruption that often occurs at this time emits volcanic ash which causes ash rain in several villages around the foot of Mount Lewotobi, depending on the direction and speed of the wind blowing with the ash.

He explained that the latest developments were observed to increase the frequency of seismicity in the past month.

According to him, the frequency of seismicity that has increased is dominated by volcanic earthquakes, which indicates that there is still a supply of magma from a depth that is consistent with eruptions that occur almost every day.

"The increase in seismic frequency stands out at the end of April until now, it has implications for the latest eruption events," he said.

The last eruption was recorded at 07.31 WITA with a height of 700 meters above the top of Mount Lewotobi Laki.

The eruption, which lasted approximately seven minutes, caused ash rain in several villages.

The Geological Agency also recommended that people around Mount Lewotobi Male, visitors, and tourists do not carry out any activities within a two km radius of the male Lewotobi Mountain eruption center.

"As well as sectoral three kilometers in the North-Northeast and five kilometers in the Northeast sector," said Zakarias.

Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano consisting of two peaks, namely Lewotobi Male and Lewotobi Perempuan.

The level of activity of Mount Lewotobi Men is now at Level II or Alert, while Lewotobi Perempuan is at Level I or Normal.