PVMBG Calls The Sound Of Crowds When Marapi's Lazim Eruption OCCURs No Need To Worry Too Much

Head Of The Marapi Emergency Response Team From The Center For Volcanology And Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) Devy Kamil Syahbana At The Marapi Volcano Observation Post (PGA) In Bukittinggi, Thursday (22/2/2024), ANTARA/Altas Maulana

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) emphasized that people do not need to worry too much when they hear rumbling sounds and crashings around the summit of Mount Marapi which is experiencing an eruption. Head of the Marapi Emergency Response Team from PVMBG Devy Kamil Syahbana said the Marapi eruption that occurred along with the tectonic earthquake and the presence of vibrations and bursts of fire in the Verbeek Crater of Mount Marapi were common. "The activity of Mount Marapi is still high, dominated by eruption activity or eruptions or gusts," he said in Bukittinggi, Antara, Thursday, February 22. In the last few days, he said, there have been fluctuations but at a high level of activity. His party is also still detecting earthquakes that indicate movement from magma below the surface, so the potential for eruptions is still very possible. He said tectonic earthquakes with different locations in structures or faults around Marapi and for eruptions are not directly related to each other. "However, as we all know, high activity like today, magma is close to the surface, so the shock from the earthquake can trigger an eruption," he said. He emphasized that the determination of the low level of volcanic activity is determined by how active the magma movement is below the mountain's stomach. "So if, for example, when people feel the tremors of the earthquake, then there is an eruption, it is two processes that may be related in this case, for example, tectonics that trigger an eruption. But on the other hand, the eruption that occurs is not the energy that comes from tectonic earthquakes, but from the magma movement itself, which is currently close to the surface," he said. This phenomenon, according to him, usually occurs like in 2006 when the Jogja earthquake where Merapi was at that time with high activity conditions, earthquakes could amplify or trigger an eruption. "But basically the energy of the eruption itself comes from everywhere. So if the tectonic earthquake occurs, but the volcano is normal, there is no high magmatic activity, there will be no eruption, this is an example like in Aceh 2004," said Devy Kamil.

According to him, the sound of crashing and rumbling at the volcanic eruption was the result of the enormous pressure produced so that it could be heard by the public. "So in the eruption phase, people who hear thunder and roar do not need to worry as long as they are still outside the recommended area, which is 4.5 kilometers," he said.