Indonesia Battles Major Volcano Eruption And Wildfires Impacting Millions
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
MEDAN, INDONESIA (Worthy News) – Indonesia on Wednesday struggled with a major volcano eruption and massive wildfires impacting millions of people across the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago.
Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra erupted earlier this week, spewing a thick column of ash about 3,500 meters (11,500 feet) above its summit and forcing hundreds of people from their homes.
At the same time, choking smoke from widespread forest and land fires forced about 1.43 million students at nearly 13,000 schools across six provinces on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo to switch to online learning as air pollution reached hazardous levels.
The simultaneous crises underscored Indonesia’s vulnerability to natural disasters as authorities evacuated communities around Sinabung while battling extensive wildfires across Sumatra and the Indonesian part of Borneo.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, known as BNPB, said 615 residents from 211 families near Sinabung had been evacuated to an emergency shelter.
VOLCANO ALERT RAISED
Other communities remained on heightened alert after authorities raised Sinabung’s warning from Level II, or Watch, to Level III, or Alert, following increased volcanic activity.
The roughly 2,600-meter (8,530-foot) volcano is about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province and one of Indonesia’s largest cities.
Authorities urged residents and tourists to stay away from evacuated communities and areas within three kilometers (1.9 miles) of the summit, with the danger zone extending as far as six kilometers (3.7 miles) southeast of the volcano.
Roads, vehicles and buildings in several communities were covered in gray ash, while authorities distributed masks to residents.
“This is an initial eruption and does not rule out the possibility of a larger eruption,” Geological Agency chief Lana Saria warned.
FLIGHTS CANCELED
Volcanic ash also disrupted air travel at Kualanamu International Airport, the main airport serving Medan and surrounding North Sumatra.
At least 21 flights to and from Kualanamu were canceled, while other services were delayed or rescheduled. On the busy route linking North Sumatra with the Indonesian capital Jakarta alone, 15 flights were canceled and another 14 delayed.
Airport authorities continued coordinating with airlines Wednesday as volcanic activity threatened further disruptions.
Volcanic ash poses a particular danger to aviation because it can damage aircraft engines and other critical systems.
Sinabung has repeatedly erupted in recent years, with about 30,000 people forced from their homes around the mountain during previous periods of volcanic activity.
WILDFIRE HAZE SPREADS
While authorities confronted the volcanic emergency in North Sumatra, a much broader wildfire crisis was unfolding across parts of Sumatra and Borneo.
About 1.43 million students from 12,874 schools were studying remotely Wednesday in six provinces hardest hit by smoke from forest and land fires, according to Indonesia’s Education Ministry.
Three affected provinces are on Sumatra, while three others are in Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo, an island shared with Malaysia and Brunei.
More than 1.1 million of the affected students are in West Kalimantan, which has recorded Indonesia’s most extensive wildfires so far this year.
Authorities described air pollution across large areas as hazardous, prompting schools to move lessons online to protect children from thick wildfire haze.
200,000 HECTARES BURNED
Forestry Ministry data showed about 200,000 hectares (494,000 acres) of land burned across Indonesia during the first seven months of the year, with the area affected rising sharply in July.
Around 73,310 hectares burned in the six provinces where authorities have concentrated their firefighting efforts.
Indonesia has mobilized tens of thousands of personnel and more than 1,400 volunteers, while dozens of aircraft have been deployed for aerial firefighting and water bombing.
Authorities are also investigating 19 companies after fires were detected across more than 11,000 hectares (27,000 acres) of their concession areas.
Officials warned that controlling the fires could become increasingly difficult as the El Niño weather pattern brings hotter and drier conditions during September.
EL NIÑO WORSENS CRISIS
Indonesia’s extensive peatlands pose a particular challenge because fires can continue burning underground for long periods, producing thick smoke and making them difficult to extinguish.
Haze has spread beyond the immediate fire zones, raising concerns about deteriorating air quality elsewhere in Indonesia and neighboring countries.
Blazes are also threatening wildlife habitats, including areas of Borneo inhabited by endangered orangutans.
The wildfires come as Indonesia remains vulnerable to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes because of its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and seismic fault lines surrounding the Pacific Basin.
Indonesia has more than 120 active volcanoes, a constant presence for its roughly 286 million inhabitants, making Indonesia the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation.
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