The Fall Of Lava Karangetang Leads To Batuawang River

The Karangetang Volcano Observation Post, Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi observed lava avalanches leading to Batuawang River. ANTARA

MANADO - The Karangetang Volcano Observation Post (PGA), Sitaro Islands Regency, North Sulawesi, observed lava avalanches leading to Batuawang River.

"The sliding distance for lava avalanches is estimated at 700-1,500 meters," said Head of PGA Karangetang Yudia P Tatipang Post in a report on observations of volcanic activity at 00.00 - 06.00 WITA in Manado, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, June 12.

The melting of mountain lava with a height of 1,784 meters above sea level is approximately 400 meters. While the fire rays are about 10 meters.

Visually, he continued, the mountain was clearly visible to the fog, the crater smoke was observed to be white with moderate intensity and a height of 10-150 meters above the crater peak.

"16 avalanche earthquakes were recorded with an amplitude of between seven and 20 millimeters for 40-100 seconds, two tremors or microtremors with an amplitude of between two and six millimeters," he said.

Until now, he said, the volcanic activity of Mount Karangetang is at Level III Alert.

He hopes that the community, visitors, tourists, will not approach, do not climb, and do not move within the hazard forecast zone, which is a radius of 2.5 kilometers from the crater peak of two and the main crater, as well as a sectoral expansion area to the southwest, south, southeast, as far as 3.5 kilometers.

The public is also expected to be aware of avalanches of lava and hot clouds avalanches that can occur at any time from the previous buildup of lava material because its condition is unstable and easily collapsed, especially to the south, southeast, west, and southwest sectors.

In addition, he continued, people living around the banks of rivers that originate from the summit of Mount Karangetang to increase preparedness from the potential threat of rain lava and flash floods that can flow to the coast.