"The target is to visit the evacuation tents around the mountainside and we ask the public there to be careful," the SAR team Commander of the East Nusa Tenggara Police Mobile Brigade Unit, second inspector Hermanus Pati Bean said in Wulanggitang, East Flores, on Sunday.
The joint SAR team comprised of NTT Mobile Brigade, Maumere Search and Rescue Agency, the province's water and air police, the Sikka District Red Cross, and the Nusa Nipa University's nature admirers student club (mapala).
The patrol reached three villages, namely Hokeng Jaya, Nawokote, and Hewa.
Along with the patrol, Bean's team also collected the data of the affected residents who have evacuated to the posts.
The patrol aimed to figure out the number of residents that had not evacuated yet and ensure the evacuation location.
With the collected data, the joint SAR team can take appropriate rescue and evacuation efforts if the eruption continues.
In addition, the joint team has determined the escape or evacuation route in case eruptions occur.
"We collect the number of residents, including pregnant women, old people, and children who have not evacuated," he said.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Wulanggitang Sub-district has been in Alert or Level III status since Monday (January 1) at 4 a.m. local time.
As of Sunday, the volcano has kept erupting, forcing residents in several villages in Wulanggitang and Ile Bura to evacuate to posts that have been set by the local government.
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Translator: Fransiska N, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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