Mount Ili Lewotolok Erupted, 7,968 Residents Displaced

Nusa Tenggara, MINA – Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) reported that the number of refugees due to the activities of Mount Ili Lewotolok, East Nusa Tenggara still increased to 7,968 people.

The Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center Raditya Jati said the refugees were scattered in 19 shelter points and residents’ houses.

He said the volcanic activity of Mount Ili Lewotolok has been still happening until Thursday.

The last eruption occurred in the early hours of Thursday at 03:54 local time with the ash column about 200 meters above the summit.

“The eruption was accompanied by a weak roar and a ray of fire approximately 20 meters above the top of the crater,” Raditya said in a press release on Thursday.

BNPB has distributed ready-to-use funds amounting to IDR 1 billion for emergency handling at disaster sites.

In addition, five units of evacuation tents, two units of flexible tanks, packages of family and baby supplies, food, cloth masks, mattresses, and blankets have been distributed to affected residents.

BNPB also deployed Chinook helicopters from Kupang City to Lembata to facilitate aid distribution.

The Lembata Regency Government previously established an emergency response status for 14 days, starting from 29 November 2020 to 12 December 2020.

The activity of Mount Ili Lewolotok itself is still at level III or ‘Alert’.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) requests that the surrounding community not be active in the danger zone within the mountain crater area and in all areas within a 4 km radius from the summit or activity center of the mount. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)