Mount Merapi Emits Three Times Hot Clouds As Far As 700-1,200 Meters

Hot clouds of avalanches were observed coming out of Mount Merapi on Wednesday January 20. (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Mount Merapi on the border of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta since dawn on Wednesday issued three hot clouds of avalanches with a sliding distance of 700-1,200 meters to the southwest.

Reported by Antara, Wednesday, January 20, the Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG), Hanik Humaida, through a written statement received in Yogyakarta on Wednesday said that three times the hot clouds of avalanches left Mount Merapi at 00.59 WIB, 05.12 WIB , and 05.35 WIB.

"Hot clouds were recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 13-21 mm and a duration of 116-198 seconds," said Hanik.

In addition to hot clouds of avalanches, during the observation period from 00: 00-06: 00 WIB, BPPTKG recorded 47 incandescent lava avalanches with a maximum sliding distance of 1,000 meters pointing to the northwest.

The BPPTKG also recorded three avalanche hot clouds earthquakes with an amplitude of 13-21 mm and a duration of 116-198 seconds, 36 avalanches with an amplitude of 3-20 mm and a duration of 12-170 seconds, one multi-phase earthquake with an amplitude of 3 mm. , and a duration of 10 seconds, as well as one distant tectonic earthquake with an amplitude of 60 mm, and a duration of 110 seconds.

Based on visual observations, crater smoke is not observed coming out of the summit of Mount Merapi.

The weather on the mountain was clear and cloudy. The wind is blowing moderately to the west with air temperatures of 13.6-26.1 degrees Celsius, humidity 28-90 percent, and air pressure 757.1-944.6 mmHg.

Previously, on Tuesday, January 19, Mount Merapi also released hot clouds of avalanche with a further sliding distance of 1,800 meters to the southwest or the upstream direction of Kali Krasak.

The BPPTKG maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert with the current potential hazards in the form of lava avalanches and hot clouds in the south-southwest sector including the Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih rivers with a maximum of 5 kilometers.

Meanwhile, in the event of an explosive eruption, the eruption of volcanic material can reach a radius of 3 km from the summit.

Therefore, the BPPTKG recommended that mining in the rivers that originate at Merapi in KRB III be stopped.

In addition, tourism actors are advised not to carry out tourism activities at KRB III Merapi, including climbing activities to the top of Merapi.