JAKARTA, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Indonesian authorities lowered the status of Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki from alert level to caution, the second-highest level as volcanic activities decreased, but the emergency response status remained, the country's Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) announced Tuesday.
Head of the PVMBG, Hendra Gunawan, said that as of Monday, the height of the eruption column decreased on average from 1,500 meters above the peak to 500 meters. The glide distance of hot clouds shortened to 1 km, from previously 2 km. The movement of lava flow to the northeast slowed down. Furthermore, the number of eruption earthquakes decreased, from 15 to 25 times per day to three to five times.
"The mountain is still erupting, but the volcanic activities have started to decrease, but we are still monitoring it until it is safe for all of us," Gunawan said at an evacuation post in East Flores regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, as quoted by local media.
However, Gunawan said the people around the volcano were still strongly recommended not to do activities within a 4-km radius of the eruption center and were told to remain cautious of the potential for rain lava floods in rivers.
"People should still wear masks and cover their noses and mouths to avoid the impact of volcanic ash on the respiratory system," he said.
Located in the southern part of the country's Flores island, one of Indonesia's popular tourism destinations, the Lewotobi Laki-Laki has erupted over the past month, forcing more than 2,000 people from seven villages to evacuate.
Local media reported that during the period of Jan. 17 to Jan. 28, four people died at the evacuation posts. Hironimus Lamawuran, head of Communication and Information Office of East Flores, said most of them died from asthma and shortness of breath. All of them were elderly aged 60 to 90.
Separately, East Flores Acting Regent Doris Alexander Rihi ensured that the evacuation posts were in good and decent conditions and the basic needs of the evacuees had been fulfilled, but those who died had refused to eat or drink water.
"They did not eat or drink well. Some only drank one glass of milk each day," Rihi said.
The East Flores Regional Disaster Mitigation told local media recently that they lacked supplies on food for the evacuees.
Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, head of Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, said the evacuees would be allowed to return to their homes when the status lowered to standby, the third level after caution.
"If the status is lowered again, maybe some people can go home soon," he said.
Indonesia is one of the countries with the most volcanoes in the world, given its geographic position on the Pacific Ring of Fire. On Tuesday, Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta province, Java island, erupted three times.
Merapi is the most active volcano among the total of 13 volcanoes in Indonesia. In early December 2023, it erupted and killed 23 people, mostly mountain climbers. ■
