Govt Alerts Three Villages Near Mount Lewotobi for Cold Lava Flood Risk

TheIndonesia.co - The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's Geological Agency has warned three villages in East Flores, East Nusa Tenggara, of the risk of cold lava floods in rivers originating at Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki's peak.

Head of the agency, Muhammad Wafid, explained that rain of medium or high intensity could carry volcanic materials that are believed to be accumulating at the volcano's peak down to Dulipali and Nobo villages in Ile Bura sub-district and Padang Pasir village in Wulanggitang sub-district.

Speaking in Jakarta on Monday, as quoted by Antara, the official said that the agency's volcanology and disaster mitigation team has urged people against conducting any activities in the three villages and their surrounding areas due to the threat of flooding.

"We have echoed a warning, and we will continue to monitor (the situation) in coordination with our team in the field. It should be noted that the villages are located within a seven-kilometer radius from the main crater," he added.

Earlier the same day, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a warning of potential cold lava floods from Mount Lewotobo Laki-laki, in the wake of rainstorms in Timor Island and the districts of East Flores, Manggarai, West Manggarai, Ngada, and Sikka.

In a statement released by her office, BMKG head Dwikorita Karnawati called on regional governments and residents living near Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki to exercise caution and anticipate lava floods by staying away from the banks of rivers originating from the highly active volcano.

"Learning from the experiences we gained from (the lava flood in) Mount Marapi in West Sumatra, we would like to appeal to all parties and people to beware of lava floods that might be triggered by rain at any time," she said.

Meanwhile, the BMKG's deputy for meteorology, Guswanto, informed that this year, the rainy season has been forecast to arrive in the regions near Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in early December.

"This condition might worsen the risk of cold lava floods sweeping through the slopes of the mountain," he said.