Alert, Mount Merapi Status Raises Alert Level
JAKARTA - Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida said that the volcanic activity of Mount Merapi continues to increase. In fact, currently the status of Mount Merapi has risen to alert or level III.
"Volcanic activity continues to increase until now. This is based on data from monitoring volcanic activity, such as seismicity and deformation, which is still increasing," Raditya said in a written statement, Thursday, November 5.
Hanik said, this condition could trigger a magma extrusion process quickly or an explosive eruption. Potential hazards can be in the form of lava avalanches, ejection of material, and hot clouds as far as 5 kilometers.
"BPPTKG conducted sectoral mapping related to the hazard area forecast. As a result, there were 12 villages included in the forecast, scattered in the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) and Central Java Province," said Hanik.
The village administrative areas included in the estimated hazard areas in DIY are Glagaharjo, Kepuharjo and Umbulharjo, which are in Cangkringan District, Sleman.
In Central Java Province, three districts were identified as having village areas included in the hazard area forecast, namely Magelang, Boyolali and Klaten.
Meanwhile, at the village and sub-district levels that are included in the three districts are Ngargomulyo, Krinjing and Paten in Dukun, Magelang, Tlogolele, Klakah and Jrakah in Selo, Boyolali and Tegal Mulyo, Sidorejo and Balerante in Kemalang, Klaten.
The BPPTKG recommends stopping mining in the rivers that originate at Mount Merapi in areas that are in disaster-prone areas (KRB) III.
"In addition, tourism actors are expected not to carry out tourism activities at KRB III Mount Merapi, including climbing activities to the top of Mount Merapi," he said.
Finally, Hanik asked the Government of Sleman Regency, Magelang Regency, Boyolali Regency and Klaten Regency to immediately prepare something related to disaster mitigation efforts due to the eruption of Mount Merapi which could occur at any time.