Mount Kerinci Is Back In Eruption, Direction Of Abu Condong To The East And Southeast

Illustration of Mount Kerinci (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Kerinci Volcano was reported to have erupted again on Saturday morning, February 4. The temporary duration is approximately 1 hour 40 minutes with the bulge towards ash to the east and southeast.

The Kerinci Volcano Observation Post, through a written statement received in Padang Aro, Saturday, February 4, the eruption that occurred at 06.46 WIB with a height of ash column was observed to be 200 m above the peak (up to 4.005 m above sea level).

Quoting between, the ash column was observed to be gray to brown with thick intensity leaning towards the east and southeast. This eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 2 mm and a temporary duration of 1 hour 40 minutes.

Seismik was recorded by a tremord earthquake with an amplitude of 0.5-2 mm dominant of 1 mm. Eruption is still ongoing when reports are being made.

On Friday, February 3, the Kerinci Volcano Observation Post also reported that the mountain with a height of 3,805 meters above sea level experienced an eruption with a duration of about 4 minutes. The eruption mountain occurred at 02.30 WIB but the height of the ash column was not observed.

Given that volcanic activity is still volatile and the status of the mountain is still at Level II (Alert), PGA Kerinci recommends that people around mountains and visitors / tourists are not allowed to climb craters at the top of the mountain within a radius of 3 km from active craters (the public is prohibited from activities within the hazard radius / KRB III).

It is better if flight routes around the Kerinci volcano are avoided because at any time they still have the potential for ash eruptions with heights that could disrupt flight routes.

The increasing volcanic activity of the mountain, the mountain climbing route with a height of 3,805 meters above sea level, has not yet been opened.

Head of the Management Section of the Kerinci National Park, Seblat, Region I, Nur Hamidi, when contacted said that since it was closed on October 19, 2022, the Mount Kerinci hiking trail either via Kersik Tuo, Kerinci, or Bangun Rejo, South Solok has not yet been opened.

"We are still waiting for Kerinci's recommendation for the opening of the route," he said.

The increase in mountain activity in the TNKS area has also postponed the plan to re-sEARCH the hiking trails that will be carried out by the South Solok Regency Government.

"We will postpone the survey first while waiting for the recommendations of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG)," said South Solok Regent Khairunas.