So far, volcanic ash has fallen in several regions around Mount Ile Lewotolok, so people living around rivers that flow from the top of the mountain should stay vigilant of the threat of cold lava, especially during the rainy season.
Kupang, NTT (ANTARA) - The Mount Ile Lewotolok Monitoring Post on Lembata Island, Lembata District, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), reported an eruption, with smoke rising as high as 100 to 700 meters (m) into the sky.

"The eruption was followed by rumbling of weak to moderate intensity," head of the volcano monitoring post, Stanis Arakian, stated when contacted from here on Monday.

Arakian noted that during the eruption, the mountain released sand material as well as low-pressure white to grey smoke of thin to medium intensity.

Meanwhile, only one eruption quake, with an amplitude of 17.3 millimeters and lasting for a duration of 83 seconds, was reported.

"Currently, the status is still ‘Watch’ or Level III," the head of the monitoring post stated.


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Hence, he appealed to the local community and tourists to not conduct any activities within a three-kilometer (km) radius of the eruption centre, except for the East and Southeast sectors, with the safe zone being a 3.5-km radius from the crater.

Villagers in Jontona, Lamawolo, and Lamatokan in Ile Ape Sub-district, Lembata District, are required to stay vigilant of the potential threat of incandescent lava and hot clouds from the eastern sector of the crater.

Taking into account the potential threat of volcanic ash that can trigger respiratory and other health ailments, Arakian has suggested the people living around the mountain to wear masks covering their nose and mouth as well as other personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect their eyes and skin.


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"So far, volcanic ash has fallen in several regions around Mount Ile Lewotolok, so people living around rivers that flow from the top of the mountain should stay vigilant of the threat of cold lava, especially during the rainy season," he added.

On being contacted, he noted that until that time, lava was still flowing out of the crater through the eastern sector of the volcano.

He remarked that the lava flowed as far as two thousand meters from the crater's mouth.


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Translator: Kornelis Kaha, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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