Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA) - The Navy Hydrographic and Oceanographic Center (Pushidrosal) team will examine the pile of materials resembling an island in Teinaman Village, Wuarlabobar, Tanimbar Islands District, following a 7.5-magnitude (M) earthquake on Tuesday (January 10).

"The Pushidrosal team has left for Tanimbar to check the new island phenomenon in Teinaman Village," Acting District Head of Tanimbar Islands Daniel Indey stated here on Thursday.

Indey said the team will check the impact and scour for more information on the new island and share it with the Teinaman village residents to allay their concerns about the phenomenon.

"We will provide information to the community, so that they can feel safe," he remarked.

According to Indey, materials like black mud and stones formed the new island.

"So far, there is no prohibition on residents going closer to the new island because people are staying away, as they see this as a natural phenomenon," he stated.

Meanwhile, residents, who evacuated after the new island's emergence, have returned to their homes.

"Since morning, I have urged the evacuees to return to their homes. The residents are currently carrying their stuff back from the evacuation site," Teinaman Village Head Bony Kelmaskossu stated.

Kelmaskossu spoke of having notified the Tanimbar Islands District Government about the new island phenomenon, but no one had come to check the natural phenomenon.

"We hope that the team from the local government would come to our village soon to conduct research on this new island phenomenon, so that people are not worried," he remarked.

Earlier, his side had urged residents to evacuate temporarily over concerns of the new island's emergence in addition to the extreme weather conditions, such as strong wind accompanied by high waves that preceded the earthquake on Tuesday.

"Shortly after the earthquake, we did not see any piles of material that resemble an island, but it was visible in the morning. Hence, it was decided that residents should temporarily evacuate," he remarked.

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Translator: Penina M, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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