Mount Merapi Vomits Hot Clouds To The Southwest For 2 Km

Mount Merapi on the border of DI Yogyakarta and Central Java. (Between)

SLEMAN - Mount Merapi launched three hot avalanches with a maximum sliding distance of 2 kilometers to the southwest on Thursday, May 26, afternoon.

Head of the Center for Research and Development of Geological Disaster Technology (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida explained that the first hot cloud avalanche occurred at 11.26 WIB to the southwest for 1.8 km.

"It was recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 30 mm and a duration of 146 seconds," he said in a written statement, Thursday, May 26.

Furthermore, the second hot cloud was observed to glide as far as 2 km at 16:43 WIB to the southwest, with a maximum amplitude of 50 mm, and a duration of 189 seconds.

Hot clouds from avalanches were again observed coming out of the mountain, which is located on the border of the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java, at 17.27 WIB to the southwest as far as 1,600 meters with a maximum amplitude of 21 mm and a duration of 146 seconds.

Meanwhile, during the observation period from 12.00 to 18.00 WIB, BPPTKG also recorded two earthquakes of hot cloud avalanches at Mount Merapi with an amplitude of 21-50 mm for 146.4-189.1 seconds, 17 earthquakes with an amplitude of 3-21 mm for 18 seconds, 1-223.1 seconds.

Next, five multi-phase earthquakes with an amplitude of 3-18 mm, for 5.8-9.6 seconds, and one shallow volcanic earthquake with an amplitude of 35 mm for 11.6 seconds.

Until now BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert.

Lava flows and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can impact areas in the south-southwest sector which include the Boyong River (a maximum of five kilometers) and the Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng rivers (a maximum of seven kilometers).

In addition, lava flows and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can impact areas in the southeastern sector which include the Woro River (a maximum of three kilometers) and the Gendol River (a distance of five kilometers).

If the volcano undergoes an explosive eruption, the ejection of volcanic material can reach an area within a three-kilometer radius from the top of the mountain, said Hanik Humaida.