Current Condition Of Mount Merapi: There Have Been 46 Earthquakes

YOGYAKARTA - The Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) stated that Mount Merapi experienced 46 earthquake avalanches during the observation period on Monday, November 30.

Head of BPPTKG Hanik Humaida, through his official statement in Yogyakarta, said that in addition to earthquake avalanches, during the observation period 307 earthquakes were recorded as hybrid or multi-phase. There were also 50 earthquake gusts, one tectonic earthquake, and 31 times shallow volcanic earthquakes.

Based on visual observations, it appears that white smoke comes out of Mount Merapi with moderate to thick intensity with a height of 20 meters above the peak.

During the observation period, a moderate noise from the Mount Merapi Monitoring Post (PGM) of Babadan was also reported.

The rate of deformation of Mount Merapi was measured using Babadan's electronic distance measurement (EDM) an average of 11 cm per day (within three days).

The BPPTKG has raised the status of Mount Merapi to Level III or Alert. It is recommended that mining in the rivers that originate at Mount Merapi in a disaster prone area (KRB) III is recommended to stop.

BPPTKG asks tourism actors not to carry out tourism activities at KRB III, including climbing activities to the top of Mount Merapi.

The government of Sleman Regency, Yogyakarta Special Region, Magelang Regency, Boyolali Regency and Klaten Regency, Central Java are also asked to prepare everything related to disaster mitigation efforts due to the eruption of Mount Merapi which can occur at any time.