JAKARTA, NOV 6 – The Indonesian government is likely to continue the permanent evacuation of thousands of people from high-risk areas after the deadly eruption of Mount Lewotobi in East Nusa Tenggara province earlier this week that claimed 10 lives, a senior disaster agency official said today.
The head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Suharyanto, stated that the evacuation was aimed at preventing future tragedies should a similar eruption occur.
Mount Lewotobi, which is 1,584 meters high in East Flores district, began erupting late Sunday night, injuring 63 people and damaging hundreds of homes and buildings, according to BNPB reports.
Thousands of residents live within a seven-kilometer radius of the crater, an area where meteorological and geophysical agencies have banned all activities except casualty recovery operations.
“A total of 2,734 families are affected and need to be relocated. We cannot take unnecessary risks. This transfer is aimed at protecting our grandchildren from facing similar disasters in the future,” said Suharyanto during his visit to the affected communities.
Most residents, especially those in high-risk zones, have agreed to be evacuated, according to a statement from BNPB.
“This volcano cannot be moved, so residents need to be moved to a safer area,” explained Suharyanto.
As of today, the number of evacuees has increased to 4,436 people, with many taking shelter in evacuation centers or relatives’ homes. During his visit, Suharyanto assured the victims that BNPB will meet all their basic needs. – Xinhua
