Jakarta, May 19 (IANS) Indonesia’s Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation has elevated the alert status of Mount Lewotobi in East Nusa Tenggara Province and expanded the danger zone as volcanic eruptions continue.
The alert status was raised on Sunday night following multiple eruptions, with the strongest sending an ash column 6 km into the sky.
Authorities have extended the danger zone from 6 to 7 km for areas northwest, north, and northeast of the crater. Outside these areas, the 6-km restriction remains in effect.
On Monday, Mt. Lewotobi erupted again at 15:47 local time, spewing an ash plume 5 km high. Thick gray clouds are drifting northward and northwestward from the volcano.
The Volcano Observatory Notice for Aviation remains at a red-level warning, the highest alert, Xinhua news agency reported. It prohibits flights below 6 km near the volcano and advises caution due to volcanic ash, which can disrupt aircraft operations.
Communities near the volcano, as well as tourists and visitors, are barred from any activities within a 7-km radius of the crater in the west, north, and northeast sectors. Outside these areas, the 6-km restriction applies.
Residents near the volcano are urged to remain vigilant against potential lava floods caused by rainfall in rivers originating from the summit. Those in ash-affected areas should wear face masks or nose coverings for protection.
Last month, flight warnings and safety advisories were issued by the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre after Mount Lewotobi erupted and released a column of ash up to 3,500 metres into the sky.
It was advised on April 16 that the communities living near the volcano should be aware of the potential for lava floods induced by rivers originating from the peak of the volcano when heavy rains occur.
On March 20, a similar eruption released a column of ash up to 8,000 metres high.
Mount Lewotobi, standing at 1,584 metres, is one of Indonesia’s 127 active volcanoes. Indonesia is an archipelago of 270 million people with frequent seismic activity. It has 120 active volcanos and sits along the ‘Ring of Fire’, a horseshoe-shaped series of seismic fault lines encircling the Pacific Basin.
Indonesia sits on the boundary of several major tectonic plates: the Eurasian, Australian, and Pacific plates and has experienced some of the world’s deadliest and most powerful eruptions, such as the eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815, further highlighting the country’s vulnerability to volcanic hazards.
–IANS
int/as
Disclaimer
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by BhaskarLive.in and while we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.
Through this website you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of BhaskarLive.in We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
Every effort is made to keep the website up and running smoothly. However, BhaskarLive.in takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues beyond our control.
For any legal details or query please visit original source link given with news or click on Go to Source.
Our translation service aims to offer the most accurate translation possible and we rarely experience any issues with news post. However, as the translation is carried out by third part tool there is a possibility for error to cause the occasional inaccuracy. We therefore require you to accept this disclaimer before confirming any translation news with us.
If you are not willing to accept this disclaimer then we recommend reading news post in its original language.
