Geological Agency Recommends Expanding Risk Area as Mount Lewotobi Continues to Erupt

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Geological Agency has updated the recommendations for areas requested to be vacated for Mount Lewotobi Laki on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara. Previously, the recommended area to be vacated was the 4 kilometer radius from the eruption center and 5 kilometer in the North-West direction. It has now been raised to a radius of 5 kilometers from the center of the eruption and a sector of 6 kilometers in the North-Northeast direction.

"Based on the results of a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of visual and instrumental monitoring data, it shows that there has been a significant increase in visual and seismic activity on Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, so the recommended distance must be changed to Level IV (Alert) status," the Geological Agency's acting head M Wafid said on Thursday, January 17.

The Geological Agency previously raised the activity status of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki from Level III (Alert) to Level IV (Caution) on January 9 at 23:00 Central Indonesia Time. The agency has monitored seismic activities that continue to increase, namely earthquake eruptions, earthquakes, and hot cloud earthquakes.

Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is one of the peaks of Mount Lewotobi in the southeastern part of Flores Island. Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano that has two peaks, the 'male' (Lewotobi Laki-laki) and the 'female' side (Lewotobi Perempuan).

The Geological Agency raised the status of Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki to Level IV, meaning caution, after discovering the appearance of fire rays and ejections of incandescent material in the center of the peak on the evening of January 9.

TEMPO.CO

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