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Mt. Rinjani still closed to trekkers
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Dangerous zone -- Mount Barujari spews volcanic ash as seen from Bayan subdistrict in North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Sept. 27. (Antara/Santanu Bendesa)
T
he management office of Mount Rinjani National Park (TNGR) has said the volcano’s trekking routes will remain closed to visitors until the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG) issues further information on volcanic activity in Rinjani’s sub-volcano, Mt. Barujari.
“Rinjani remains closed. We are still waiting for a recommendation from the PVMBG, the Geology Agency and the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry on Mt. Barujari’s status,” TNGR head Agus Budi Santoso said after a meeting at the office of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) governor in Mataram on Wednesday.
The TNGR closed two Rinjani trekking routes, namely Senaru-North Lombok and Sembalun-East Lombok, on Sept. 28, one day after the eruption of Mt. Barujari, which is located in the caldera, or crater, of Mt. Rinjani.
The closure was conducted following the PVMBG’s decision to increase Rinjani’s status to waspada (cautious), or alert level 2. At that level, any activity within a 3 kilometer radius from the crater is prohibited.
“Some people have protested the closure, asking us to open up the trekking routes. It’s not the TNGR but the Geology Agency that has the authority to determine a volcano’s status. The closure is for the sake of their own safety,” said Agus.
He said he could understand the protests, which were mostly voiced by porters and tourist guides.
“Who can guarantee that the volcano will not erupt when they are climbing it? Once the Geology Agency says its condition is quite safe for trekking, we will open it up again,” said Agus. (ebf)
