[hanomantoto]

TEMPO.CO, Bandung – The Geological Agency raised the activity status of Mount Marapi in West Sumatra to Alert (Level III) today, Wednesday, November 6, 2024. The status increase starting at 3:00 PM is followed by recommendations to evacuate the area around the crater from the activities of residents, climbers, or visitors.

“To not enter and carry out activities within a 4.5-kilometer radius from the eruption center (Kawah Verbeek) of Mount Marapi,” said the Head of the Geological Agency, Muhammad Wafid, quoted from his statement on Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

The Geological Agency also advises residents living around the rivers whose source is at the peak of Mount Marapi to be aware of the potential threats of lahars, especially during the rainy season. People are also asked to use nose and mouth cover masks if there is ash rain.

Wafid explained that Mount Marapi’s activities tend to increase, shown by increasingly intense eruptions and emissions. On October 27, 2024, an eruption occurred with the observed eruption column reaching 2,000 meters from the volcano’s summit, then on November 6, 2024, at 5:44 AM, another eruption was observed, with the ash column reaching 1,500 meters.

“The series of eruptions/eruptions are still ongoing intermittently as a result of the dynamics of the fluctuating fluid supply from the depth of Mount Marapi,” said Wafid.

The Geological Agency also noticed an increasing trend in volcanic earthquakes since October 7, 2024. These earthquakes are associated with the increased supply of fluid from the depths to the surface. The rise in seismic activity is also in line with the occurrence of inflation deformation at the peak of Mount Marapi.

“From variations in seismic velocity and coherence data, it shows a disturbance in the subsurface medium (near the surface) of Mount Marapi due to increased pressure (stress) on the volcano’s body,” stated Wafid.

From all the monitoring data, it is concluded that Mount Marapi’s activity is increasing and has the potential to produce eruptions. Eruption activities, according to Wafid, can occur at any time as a form of energy release, “And it can become more intense with the range of eruption material being thrown farther if the fluid supply (magma and gas) from the depths continues to increase,” he said.

Mount Marapi in West Sumatra has an altitude of 2,891 meters above sea level. Mount Merapi relatively often experiences eruptions. The Geological Agency records that Mount Marapi has erupted since 1807 with an average rest period between eruption periods of about 3.5 years. The Geological Agency notes the shortest eruption rest period of 1 year and the longest of 17 years.

“Since 1987 until now, the eruptions have been explosive centered in Kawah Verbeek,” said Wafid, adding, “Eruption activities are usually accompanied by roaring sounds with eruption products that can be in the form of ash, lapilli, and sometimes also followed by flares of incandescent material and volcanic bombs.”

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