INDONESIA ISSUES HIGHEST ALERT FOR MOUNT LEWOTOBI LAKI-LAKI AS SEISMIC ACTIVITY SPIKES

By Mohd Iswandi Kasan Anuar

JAKARTA, Feb 13 (Bernama) -- The volcanic activity level of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in East Nusa Tenggara has been raised to the highest level of IV at 3am local time on Thursday, signalling that it has reached a critical phase with an increasing potential for a major eruption.

The public and relevant authorities have been urged to avoid activities within a six-kilometre radius of the eruption’s centre and in the southwest-northeast sector extending up to seven-kilometre radius, according to a statement from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

“In addition to the threat of eruption, the potential for volcanic mudflow or debris from rainfall should also be a major concern, especially for residents in river catchment areas originating from the mountain summit,” said BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari.

He added that the local government continue to coordinate with the volcano observation post in Pululera village and the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) to ensure that mitigation measures are being effectively implemented.

The Flores Timur local government has urged residents who had returned to six villages in the disaster-prone area to evacuate again to the designated shelters or seek safety independently.

This situation coincides with an increase in seismic activity recorded from Feb 5 to 13.

According to data from the PVMBG, the period saw 43 eruption or explosion tremors, 987 explosion quakes, 388 harmonic tremors, and various other types of seismic activity indicating magma supply and rising internal pressure.

A sudden increase in volcanic tremors was recorded on Tuesday at 10pm, continuing until Thursday at midnight, and the seismic activity is ongoing.

-- BERNAMA