TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Mount Ili Lewotolok Monitoring Post in Lembata District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Province, in the past week, has recorded an increase in the volcano’s eruption activity.

"The eruption activity started again. Until this morning, there was still an eruption," Head of the Mount Ili Lewotolok Monitoring Post Stanis Ara Kian said when contacted on Saturday.

The increase in the eruption activity began to be observed from Thursday (September 15, 2022), he informed.

On Thursday, an eruption occurred, with hot clouds reaching a height of 700 meters (m) above the mountain peak.

On Friday (September 16), a larger eruption was recorded, with the height of the hot cloud reaching about 1,500 m.

"Furthermore, this morning, at around 9 a.m. WIT (Central Indonesia Standard Time), there was another eruption, with the height of the hot cloud of 1,000 m above the top of the mountain or about 2,423 m above sea level," the head of the monitoring post said.

The materials spewed by the volcano burned the vegetation around the top of the mountain.

"Until now, the status of the volcano is still on 'Alert' or Level III," Kian added.

Hence, his party has issued a number of mitigation recommendations to the surrounding community.

People living around Mount Ili Lewotolok as well as tourists have been advised not to carry out any activities within a 3-kilometer (km) radius from the peak of the mountain, except in the southeast sector, where the safe zone begins at a 3.5-km radius from the crater, as well as the east and northeast sectors, where the safe zone begins at a 4 km-radius from the crater.

"The people of Lamawolo Village, Lamatokan Village, and Jontona village (East Ile Ape Sub-district, Lembata District) should always stay vigilant of the potential threat of incandescent lava and hot clouds from the eastern part of the peak/crater of Mount Ili Lewotolok," the monitoring post head added.

Furthermore, since volcanic ash can cause acute respiratory infections (ISPA) and other health problems, the community around Mount Ili Lewotolok has been advised to wear masks covering their noses and mouths as well as other equipment to protect their eyes and skin.

ANTARA

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