TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki in the East Flores Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), spewed volcanic ash approximately 1 kilometer (1,000 meters) into the air in an eruption that lasted six minutes on Friday morning, August 28.
Head of the Geological Agency at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Lana Saria, in her statement, reported that the eruption occurred at 7:35 a.m. local time, producing a thick ash column that blew towards the southwest and west.
"This eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 14.8 mm and a duration of approximately six minutes and four seconds," she said, as quoted by ANTARA.
Lana explained that currently Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki is at Level III (Alert) Status, so the public and tourists are prohibited from carrying out any activities within a 5-kilometer radius of the eruption center.
The Geological Agency has urged residents living near the mountain to wear masks or other coverings over their noses and mouths in anticipation of the dangers posed by volcanic ash to the respiratory system.
In addition, the public is asked to be aware of the potential for rain-induced lava floods in rivers that originate at the top of the mountain if heavy rain occurs, especially in the areas of Dulipali, Padang Pasir, Nobo, Nurabelen, Klatanlo, Hokeng Jaya, Boru, and Nawakote.
She also asked the public to remain calm, to avoid believing information from unclear sources, and to always follow the directions of the local government and the Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki Observation Post in East Flores.
"The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation will continue to coordinate with the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial BPBD and the local PB Task Force in providing information on Lewotobi Laki-laki's activities," Lana emphasized.
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