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Threat of Mount Sinabung eruption threatens Lake Lau Kawar tourism
Leisure time: A man paddles a canoe in the middle of Lake Lau Kawar in Karo regency, North Sumatra
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Leisure time: A man paddles a canoe in the middle of Lake Lau Kawar in Karo regency, North Sumatra.
The 200-hectare lake, with its calm, clear blue waters, is located around 70 kilometers from Medan, the capital of North Sumatra.
The trip from Medan to the lake usually takes around three hours. The lake is located at the foot of Mount Sinabung, a volcano in Namanteran district in Karo regency.
One of the closest towns to the lake is Berastagi, and from there, it takes less than an hour to reach the lake. Berastagi locals, such as Edison Sembiring, love to visit the lake during holidays.
The 57-year-old Edison said he had climbed Mt. Sinabung via a route beginning at Lake Lau Kawar.
“The track was good and I climbed from Lake Lau Kawar to the peak of Sinabung in one and a half hours. It was really an amazing experience,” Edison told The Jakarta Post while savoring a bowl of noodle soup on the shores of the lake on Sunday, Feb. 16.
Edison’s climb took place in 2009, a year before Sinabung erupted. Following the eruption, Edison had not visited the lake until recently.
“To be frank, I am still worried about visiting the lake because the volcanic activity of Mt. Sinabung has not returned to normal,” he said.
He said he could not imagine what would happen if the volcano suddenly erupted, emitting hot clouds and volcanic ash in the lake’s direction.
Fortunately, according to Edison, since the 2010 eruption, no lava or ash had headed toward the lake. He added that this had left the lake’s surroundings lush and green, while the other sides of the volcano had been devastated by hot lava and ash.
“We are grateful the lake has remained safe,” he said.
Nonetheless, Edison showed concern over the regional government’s neglect of the tourist destination, noting that 10 years ago there were there many lodgings around the lake and that now they were not as noticeable and that some buildings had even been damaged.
“More tourists are now visiting the lake and the lack of supporting facilities is deplorable,” he said.
Jefri Ginting, a Lau Kawar parking attendant, also noted the recent rise in visitors, especially on Sundays.
“It’s crowded here on Sundays, with typically more than 300 visitors. On Saturdays, there’s only around 100,” said Jefri.
Jefri attributed the rising number of tourists to the decreasing volcanic activity of Mt. Sinabung.
“Hopefully Sinabung can return to its normal condition,” said Jefri.
What Edison and Jefri do not understand, however, is that the lake’s surroundings remain in a red zone because of Mt. Sinabung’s highly active state. This means that nobody should go near the lake under any circumstances, according to Natanael Perangin-angin from the Karo Disaster Control Agency.
“Despite the decreased activity of Mt. Sinabung, we have to wait for a recommendation from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation [PVMBG],” said Natanael, adding that a level-III alert status was still in place for the volcano.
Last year, the PVMBG of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s Geological Agency announced that Mt. Sinabung’s status had been reduced from level IV caution to level-III alert, which had been in effect since May 20, 2019.
“We ask tourists to avoid entering the red zone because it is still dangerous. Let’s wait until Mt. Sinabung returns to normal,” Natanael said.
— Photos by JP/Apriadi Gunawan
