The discovery of a new water stream along the hiking trails of Mount Agung has prompted local authorities to warn hikers from traversing the trail during the rainy season.
In a widely circulating clip, a fairly heavy water stream — described locally as a “seasonal waterfall” — can be seen flowing downstream through an unidentified spot on Mount Agung.
An official from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) said the mountain has seven known water streams that flow into the Yeh Sah river on Muncan Village in Karangasem regency. It’s not yet known if the new stream has its own distinct flow or if it’s an offshoot of one of the established streams.
Air terjun musiman yang ada di jalur pendakian Gunung Agung via Pura Pasar Agung Sebudi.
— punapibali (@punapibali) November 29, 2021
Ada yang pernah ngelihat juga semeton?
📷 @tunanada via @pendakibali pic.twitter.com/pZcLGka6nM
“It’s a new thing for me to see a seasonal waterfall,” IB Ketut Arimbawa from BPBD Karangasem said, referring to the unusual nature of this sighting.
As the viral clip showed how hikers are heading up to Mount Agung, authorities are now cautioning people against doing so during the rainy season. Arimbawa said hikers must be aware of possible dangers, such as volcanic gas, landslides, and slipping due to the risky topography of the area.
“It is not prohibited [to hike] because it’s normal, but guides and hikers must watch out for dangerous threats. It’s better not to hike when it rains because the risk is high,” he concluded.
