PVMBG: Lontaran Material Pijar Marapi In A Radius Of 4.5 Kilometers

Portrait of Mount Marapi emitting volcanic ash can be seen from Agam Regency, West Sumatra, Saturday (13/1/2024). (ANTARA/Muhammad Zulfikar).

The Center for Volcanology and Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) said that the ejection of incandescent material from Mount Marapi in the early hours of the morning was still within a radius of 4.5 kilometers.

"That is the ejection of incandescent material issued simultaneously during the eruption of Mount Marapi," said Head of the Emergency Response Team of Mount Marapi PVMBG Eruption Kristianto as reported by ANTARA, Saturday, January 13.

He ensured that the incandescent eruptions, which were red, were hot volcanic rocks that burst when there was an eruption.

At night, he said, the natural phenomenon will be clearer when compared to during the day.

"We ensure that the ejection of the incandescent material is only around the mountain and does not reach a radius of 4.5 kilometers," he said.

Lontaran material incandescent terjadi akibat adanya tekanan yang kuat dari kapitong gunungan sehingga bermburuk ke atas. Dengan kata lain, terjadi peningkatan aktivitas gunung pada pukul 01.42 WIB.

Nevertheless, Kristianto conveyed that the phenomenon of the ejection of incandescent material usually occurs in active mountains. Since the eruption of Mount Marapi on December 3, 2023, PVMBG has recorded visually the same incident several times.

The type of Mount Marapi which is administratively located in Tanah Datar Regency and Agam Regency has changed from phreatic to magmatic. This means that magma is already around the mouth of the mountain.

"With this change in the phreatic type to magma, the fresh magma material can be thrown at the surface. So it is possible that magma will come out of the crater hole and also depends on its strength," he said.