Probolinggo, E Java, (Antara) - Volcanic ash released during the Mount Bromo eruption has been affecting a wider area of agricultural land in Probolinggo District, East Java Province, local authorities pointed out here on Monday.
Head of Agriculture Office of Probolinggo Mahbub Zunaidi said that agricultural lands affected by the ash spewed from the volcano has grown from a depth of 1.360 to 2.604 per hectare (ha).
"The agriculture lands affected by volcanic ash are located in three sub-districts, namely Sukapura, Sumber and Lumbang," Zunaidi noted.
The volcanic ash, which previously only affected potatoes and cabbage plants, has also come in contact with other vegetables, such as corn, tomato and mustard cabbage, he said.
In Sukapura subdistrict, volcanic ash has damaged 992 ha of potato plantations, 82 ha of cabbage farm, 82.5 ha of mustard cabbage plants, 16 ha of tomato and 164 ha of corn fields.
Meanwhile, in Sumber subdistrict, 714 ha of potato fields and 40 ha of cabbage plants were damaged.
In Lumbang subdistrict, the eruption has damaged 365 ha of potatoes, 32 ha of cabbage plants, 2 ha of tomatoes and 115 ha of corn.
Mount Bromo, at 2,329 meters above sea level, continues spewing volcanic ash, which is spread by winds to regions in Probolinggo and Lumajang.
The local authority is still collecting data about damage to agricultural land.
The impact of the eruption to the local agriculture sector has caused a hike in vegetable prices in the region.
Data from the center of volcanology and disaster mitigation PVMBG indicated that Mount Bromo erupted on Monday (Jan 18) at 06.59. a.m. local time, spewing volcanic ash up to 1,800 meters into the sky.
The volcanic ash then was blown to the west and southwest.
Mount Bromo erupted three times in the 20th century, with the largest disturbance recorded in 1974, and the last on June 8, 2004, marked by explosions producing smoke, propelled as high as 3,000 meters above the crater, which left two people dead and five injured.(*)
