Sr. Miriam Altenhofen traveled to Hokeng, Indonesia. She reports on the eruption of Mt. Lewotobi and the impact it had on the SSpS community, the school, clinic, retreat house, dormitory, formation groups, and the staff. She also shares how the SSpS responsed to the immediate needs of the survivors.
It is the evening of November 3rd in Hokeng. Thunder and lightning fill the sky, and the mountain rumbles. The sisters are accustomed to living with Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki and interpret these signs as usual. Moreover, there has been no alarm. Therefore, after their shared evening recreation, everyone goes to bed.
Just before midnight, the volcano’s internal pressure bursts through the mountain’s summit. Large rocks are hurled kilometers through the air, striking our house, 7 km from the mountain. Intense explosions follow as the mountain ejects fiery rocks and ash.
Most of the sisters are in deep sleep. One of them awakens with a start and sees that some buildings are already ablaze. Lava stones rain down, potentially acting like projectiles, igniting anything they touch. Our house, too, is struck, and fire begins to spread. The sister rushes from door to door, trying to wake everyone. Several sisters remain in a deep sleep.
The compound housed the sisters, students residing in dormitories, postulants, tertians (sisters preparing for perpetual vows), and staff. Chaos ensues. Attempts are made to extinguish some fires, but it quickly becomes evident that this is futile. Panic sets in as the downpour of firestones intensifies. The roaring of the mountain, repeated explosions, and earthquakes accompany this catastrophe.
The sisters and other residents of the compound have no choice but to flee. By morning, when everyone had gathered at a safe location, they realized the house superior, Sr. Nikolin Pajo, was missing. Some had seen her room engulfed in flames but could do nothing as the door was locked and could not be forced open. The situation became so dangerous that they had to seek safety elsewhere, hoping Sr. Nikolin had already left her room.
It later became clear that the roof above Sr. Nikolin’s room had been struck by a large rock, which ignited the fire. Sr. Nikolin likely died instantly, as the rock struck the bed and the fire spread rapidly.
Everyone was in shock. Fortunately, no one else suffered serious injuries. All staff, students, and sisters, including the postulants and tertians, escaped. Trucks and buses soon arrived to evacuate the survivors and transport them to Kewapante, a nearby community.
The volcanic eruption caused immense damage. Sr. Nikolin was the only casualty, but the the convent, retreat house, school, and clinic were devastated. Some rooms were completely destroyed by fire, while others suffered only shattered windows.
Even after the initial eruption, Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki continued to send massive black clouds of ash into the sky, halting air traffic over a wide area. The mountain rumbles like a giant pressure cooker, accompanied by explosions and lava that flow down its slopes, burning or engulfing everything in its path. The lava flow moved toward our compound, making it too dangerous to approach.
This place will likely no longer be habitable in the near future. The greatest sorrow, however, is the death of Sr. Nikolin. Additionally, the sisters have lost their convent with its retreat house, school, student dormitory, and clinic.
But they are not the only ones. Families of our sisters have also been affected and had to leave their homes and gardens or plantations. Sr. Kristina Lajar lost six members of her family when the house collapsed and buried everyone inside. A novice has not yet received any news from her parents. She does not know where they are or if they are still alive. The government has ordered the evacuation of all areas within a 10 km radius. Many people have lost their homes, fields, coffee and banana plantations. Some fled in just their nightclothes, while others managed to pack a small suitcase or bag. Now they are staying with relatives in other villages or tent camps.
JPIC Indonesia, a collaboration between the SVD and SSpS, is well-organized and has immediately arranged transport with relief supplies to the villages and camps. Visiting these camps reveals that the situation for the elderly is particularly dire. Some are paralysed from strokes and cannot help themselves. The state and our religious community are trying to provide food, mattresses, hygiene products, etc. But these cannot compensate for the loss of home and homeland. The question on everyone’s mind is: How long will we have to live in these overcrowded tents? Where will we find a new home? The government promises resettlement in safer areas, but no one knows when.
Sr. Mikaelin Bupu and I had the opportunity to visit our sisters on-site and stay with them for a week in this challenging situation. We held various meetings where the sisters could share their experiences. We also visited affected villages and camps with other victims. However, we could not visit Hokeng itself, as the situation there remains highly dangerous.
The people of East Flores need our support. This can be in the form of prayers, compassion, or donations, which can be used to buy essential supplies and provide relief in this dire situation, helping them rebuild a new life in the future.
Sr. Miriam Altenhofen SSpS – Kupang, Timor, Indonesia
Congregational Leader
November 16, 2024
Sr. Mikaelin Bupu listens to the stories of the people in Hokeng.
Sr. Miriam at the temporary shelter of the calamity victims.
The sister’s convent was destroyed.
Some parts of the compound were engulfed by flames.
