PGA Reports Firelight Appears From Mount Lokon's Tompaluan Crater, Signs Magma Activities

Head of the Volcano Security Post (PGA), Armando Manguleh monitors the activities of Mount Lokon. BETWEEN/Karel A Pollakitan

TOMOHON - The Volcano Security Post (PGA) recorded the emergence of fire rays from the Tompaluan crater of Mount Lokon, Tompaluan City, Tompolon City, North Sulawesi, since Thursday, September 4.

PGA chairman Armando Manguleh explained that the fire rays indicated that magma activity rose to the surface, heating the soil and solfatara temperatures.

"The appearance of the flames shows magma activity. This condition causes the appearance of a fire beam that appears in the Tompaluan crater," said Armando in Tompalon, Sunday, September 7.

According to him, the emergence of fireworks has the potential to be followed by an eruption, considering that the current volcanic activity of Mount Lokon is still very high with the increasing soil temperature.

"The flames can survive or disappear, depending on seismic activity or magma supply," he said.

Armando reminded that a similar phenomenon occurred in 2008. At that time, fire rays appeared from the Tompaluan crater but the eruption only occurred three years later.

"When the eruption occurred, residents were evacuated," he said.

Previously, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) had upgraded the status of Mount Lokon from Alert (Level II) to Alert (Level III) on Wednesday (3/9/2025) at 12.00 WITA.

Peningkatan status dilakukan menyusul lonjakan aktivitas kegempaan, dari rata-rata tiga kali gempa per hari menjadi lebih dari 100 kali per hari.

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The increase in status was carried out following a surge in seismic activity, from an average of three earthquakes per day to more than 100 times per day.