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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Disasters & Emergencies

Indonesia Urges Residents to Evacuate as Mount Sinabung Activity Reaches Alert Level III

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Indonesia raised Mount Sinabung’s status to alert level III after an August 31 eruption sent ash 3,500 meters above the summit.
  • The disaster agency urged residents in affected parts of Karo District to evacuate, and 650 people from 208 families had left their homes by September 4.
  • Authorities secured hazardous areas, distributed masks, cleared ash, and prepared emergency services and temporary schooling as activity continued.

Indonesia’s disaster agency has urged residents near Mount Sinabung to move to safer areas after the volcano’s activity rose to alert level III.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised the status after an eruption on August 31 sent an ash column 3,500 meters above the summit. Monitoring on Friday found thick white ash rising 300 to 500 meters above the crater.

Local authorities, together with relevant agencies, are directing residents in areas affected by volcanic ash to evacuate to safer locations and distributing masks to minimize health risks.

· Berton SP PanjaitanThe acting head of BNPB’s Disaster Data, Information and Communication Center described the evacuation and health measures.

Volcanic ash has heavily affected homes and farmland in Ndokum Siroga and Kuta Tengah villages in Simpang Empat Sub-district, as well as Payung Village. By September 4, 208 families, or 650 people, had evacuated. A total of 405 people were staying at the Jambur Arih Ersada evacuation center in Sukatepu Village.

Authorities secured dangerous areas, including Lake Lau Kawar, distributed masks, and sprayed water to remove ash in central Berastagi. Payung Village remains on standby for further evacuations. Emergency measures include public kitchens operating three times a day, clean water supplies, and temporary classes for students from SD Negeri 040475 Tiga Serangkai. Junior high school students who attend schools outside Payung are receiving transport from the Karo Regency Public Order Agency.

Based on patrols, the area has been confirmed to be free of visitors.

· Berton SP PanjaitanPanjaitan said patrols had confirmed that the secured hazardous area no longer contained visitors.
About this summary

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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