Locals Devoid of Updated Information

Kompas/Bahana Patria Gupta

Evacuees take part in the mass Agni Hotra fire ritual on Sunday (8/10) at the Swecapura Sports Hall evacuation camp in Klungkung regency, Bali. The purification and cleansing ritual ceremony is asked for the people to be blessed with patience in facing trials, particularly the Mount Agung disaster.

KARANGASEM, KOMPAS – Up until the 17th day, or into the third week, since the alert status of Mount Agung in Bali was raised to the highest level of Awas (Warning), the latest information on the activity of the volcano has not been disseminated well. As a result, local residents and evacuees are still haunted by fears raised by Mount Agung’s fluctuating condition.

Their concern over the mountain’s activity prompted several residents to go to the Mount Agung Observation Post in Rendang district, Karangasem regency, Sunday (8/10). They were worried about the columns of white smoke, which appeared to be higher than usual. The smoke columns, which are usually 50-200 meters high, was seen to rise to 1,000-1,500 meters from the mountain’s crater on Saturday night.