The Halut Regency Government Closes The Climbing Line After The Viral Mount Dukono Eruption Of Burst Climbers

Eruption of Mount Dokuno in North Halmahera Regency, Tuesday (20/8/2024). BETWEEN/HO- Personal Documentation (Abdul Fatah)

MALUT - The Regency Government (Pemkab) of North Halmahera (Halut) in North Maluku (Malut) prohibits residents from climbing activities on Dukono Volcano.

The ban following the viral video shows climbers running scattered from the top of Mount Dukono during an eruption.

"I want to provide clarification regarding a viral video regarding a number of climbers on Mount Api Dukono who ran and scattered from the top when the mountain erupted," said Head of the Halut Regency Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Hentje M. L Hetharia, in a release, Tuesday, August 20, which was confiscated by Antara.

He said the climbing was carried out by a number of residents on the mountain as high as 1,335 meters above sea level on Saturday, August 17.

His party received information from the Head of the Dukono Volcano Observation Post on Sunday, August 18 regarding a number of residents who climbed the mountain and then they were almost hit by volcanic ash when the volcano erupted.

He explained that those who did the climb did not report to the Dukono Volcano Observation Post in Mamuya Village, Galela District.

"This means that those who climb do not have a permit, because apart from getting information from the Head of the Dukono Volcano Observation Post, we have also checked with the Tourism Office, that they were climbing secretly," said Hentje.

Based on this incident, he continued, his party issued a ban on residents for the time being not to carry out climbing activities on Mount Dukono.

"For safety, because of the condition of Mount Dukono with Level II Alert status and at any time it can still experience an eruption," he said.