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Government turns to community early warning system to mitigate Marapi lahars
Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy said this month's deadly disasters on the volcano could have been avoided if the government had a better mitigation system.
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Debris and mud cover the ground in Simpang Manunggal on May 12, 2024, the day after a lahar hit the area in Lima Kaum district, Tanah Datar regency, West Sumatra. (Antara/Sigit Putra)
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uthorities have announced plans to develop an early warning system for flash floods and lahars in the vicinity of West Sumatra’s Mount Marapi, after disasters this month claimed more than 60 lives and destroyed hundreds of buildings in six regencies and cities of the province.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said it planned to install 23 instruments to monitor for possible flash floods or lahars – mudflows of volcanic debris – descending from the slopes of the volcano and warn residents living below.
Padang Panjang geophysics station head Suadi Ahadi said it was a challenge to predict hydrometeorological disasters based on river water levels alone.
The rivers around Mount Marapi, he continued, were mostly intermittent or seasonal with inconsistent water flow.
“That is why the tools will not only calculate flash flood risk based on the water level, but also on rainfall and ground vibrations. The alarm will sound when it detects incoming flash floods,” Suadi said recently, as reported by Antara.
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At the same time, the BMKG, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) and the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) are planning to train a team of residents in each village surrounding the volcano to assist with any possible evacuation.
