Indonesia plans to relocate residents near Mount Lewotobi after fatal eruption

Jakarta: The Indonesian government will likely proceed with a permanent relocation of thousands of residents from a high-risk zone following the fatal eruption of Mount Lewotobi in East Nusa Tenggara province earlier this week, which claimed 10 lives, a top disaster agency official said on Wednesday.

National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) chief Suharyanto stated that this relocation aims to prevent future tragedies in the event of similar eruptions.

Mount Lewotobi, standing 1,584 metres tall in East Flores regency, began erupting late Sunday night, injuring 63 people and damaging hundreds of houses and buildings, according to BNPB reports.

Thousands of residents live within a seven-km radius of the crater, an area where the meteorology and geophysics agency has banned all activities except victim recovery operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

"As many as 2,734 families are affected and must be relocated. We cannot take unnecessary risks. This relocation aims to protect our grandchildren from enduring similar catastrophes in the future," Suharyanto said during a visit to affected communities.

Most residents, particularly those in high-risk zones, have agreed to relocate, according to a statement from the BNPB. "The volcano cannot be moved, so the people must relocate to safer areas," Suharyanto explained.

As of Wednesday, the number of evacuees has risen to 4,436, with many taking refuge in evacuation centres or the homes of relatives. During his visit, Suharyanto assured evacuees that the BNPB would meet all their basic needs.

Mount Lewotobi is one of Indonesia's 127 active volcanoes. The nation, an archipelago located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, regularly experiences volcanic and seismic activity.