Beware Of Mount Mother Eruption Securities, Residents Are Asked To Monitor River Colors

Illustration. (doc. BNPB)

JAKARTA - The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) conducted socialization regarding the risk of secondary disasters after the eruption of Mount Ibu in West Halmahera, North Maluku (Malut).

This socialization aims to make the public better understand what to do if there are signs or several other factors that can trigger the secondary disaster of the eruption of Mount Ibu.

Head of BNPB Disaster Data and Communication Center Abdul Muhari said the BNPB team asked the public to always monitor the color and river discharge when there is high intensity rain in the upstream to downstream areas.

"If the water discharge gets bigger and the water changes in color to dark brown, then it should be reported to the local village government and immediately take preparedness efforts," said Abdul Muhari in his statement, Sunday, June 9.

Furthermore, residents are also expected to protect the river environment by not cutting down trees, not disposing of garbage in the river and working together to normalize rivers.

"If the river is blocked by materials in the form of rocks or pieces of tree trunks, it should be cleaned immediately because otherwise it can clog the river flow, which then has the potential for flash floods if the water discharge continues to increase plus the limited capacity of the river itself," he explained.

Based on the BNPB mapping, the areas located on the river flow around Gunung Ibu are Duono Village, Togoreba Sungi Village, Togoreba Tua Village, Naga Village, Podol Village and Togowo Village.

The river flow is overgrown with several types of vegetation that naturally thrive in the valley area at the foot of the 1,325-high mountain MDPL.

The distance between the river and the population of the breeders also varies. Some are approximately 5 meters apart and some reach approximately 15 meters.

"In addition to settlements, there are also places of worship, schools, meeting centers and other public facilities," explained Abdul Muhari.