Evacuations are underway as Mount Sinabung in Indonesia continues to show activity, but thousands of Sumatrans are refusing to budge, choosing to stay in their homes and tend to crops than flee from the dangers of a volcanic eruption.
According to Subur Tambun, head of a local disaster mitigation agency, just 10,000 of the estimated 33,000 locals living within the danger zone of Mount Sinabung have been evacuated to a safe distance away from the volcano.
"They are confident of being able to escape a major eruption. All we can do is ask them to leave," said Tambun.
Mount Sinabung is one of around 130 active volcanoes in the country. It has been silent for 400 years but stirred to life in 2010. The volcano last underwent a major eruption in 2014 in which it claimed the lives of at least 17 people. Authorities have been on high alert for almost two weeks as Mount Sinabung continues to spew out material. Last week, a minimum of 48 avalanches of hot ash were reported, with the biggest of them all reaching up to 1.5 miles southeast of the volcano.
For days, authorities have been pleading with locals living within 4 miles south and southeast of the volcano to head for temporary shelters, but officials were met with resistance. Given the number of volcanoes in Indonesia, however, it's understandable why so many people are reluctant to leave their homes when danger comes. After all, danger due to volcanic eruptions is common, no thanks to the country being located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a series of fault lines stretching from the Western Hemisphere and into Southeast Asia and Japan.
Over 150,000 people call Mount Sinabung's slopes home, taking advantage of the fertile soil in the area to grow coffee, cocoa, oranges and chillies. One resident said that coffee has let them survive so they must care for it now, rationalizing their decision to stay. Many of those that did heed warning for evacuations have also returned.
Over 2,000 people were forced to leave their homes the last time Mount Sinabung erupted in 2014. They are still dwelling in temporary houses rented by the government, awaiting their permanent relocation so they can start anew. Although they may want it, they can no longer go back to their villages as the eruption has rendered them already uninhabitable today.
Photo: Victor Ulijin | Flickr
