Mount Marapi Shows Signs Of Volcanic Activities That Pay Attention

The appearance of the eruption of Mount Marapi from Tanah Agam Regency, Sunday, February 25 (photo: ANTARA/Muhammad Zulfikar)

JAKARTA - The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has released a recent report highlighting the increase in activity of Mount Marapi in the past week. Tanah Datar Regency and Agam Regency are now in the spotlight due to the increasing trend of the intensity of eruptions and gusts of smoke.

According to a written statement received in Padang on Saturday, March 2, the Head of PVMBG, Hendra Gunawan, said that during the evaluation period from February 22 to 29, 2024, Mount Marapi showed increased activity. Although the height of the smoke column from the eruption or gusts only reached 600 meters above the peak, it was still lower than the main eruption on December 3, 2023 which reached 3,000 meters above the peak.

"In the past week, the intensity of eruptions / eruptions and smoke gusts has tended to increase," said PVMBG Head Hendra Gunawan in a written statement received in Padang, Saturday.

Prior to the massive eruption on December 3, 2023, Mount Marapi in West Sumatra also erupted in 2010. The eruption in 2010 caused increased volcanic activity and affected its surroundings.

PVMBG also recorded fluctuations in the number of eruption / eruption earthquakes, with the range of events between one to seven times per day, which showed an upward trend. In addition, earthquake gusts have also increased over the past week, with a range of 41 to 79 times per day.

Earthquake activity related to pressure or magma pressure from depth, such as low frequentity, shallow volcanic, and deep volcanic earthquakes, also continues to be recorded intensively. Earthquake gusts dominated the activity of the Mount Marapi earthquake, with details of 20 earthquakes of eruptions / eruptions, 462 earthquakes of gusts, five tornillo earthquakes, 25 times low frequency earthquakes, seven times hybrid / multi-phase earthquakes, 15 times shallow volcanic earthquakes, 26 times local volcanic earthquakes, 16 times long tectonic earthquakes, and continuous tremors with an amplitude of 0.5 to three millimeters ( 1 millimeter dominance).

The public is asked to remain vigilant and follow directions from the relevant authorities in dealing with the potential dangers of Mount Marapi's activities. PVMBG continues to monitor the situation and provide regular updates according to the latest developments.