Thursday Morning, Earthquakes Due To The Eruption Of Mount Marapi Increase 1.5 Times

Erupsi Gunung Marapi, Siumatra Barat (dok BNPB)

JAKARTA - The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) revealed that there was an increase in the intensity of gust earthquakes as much as 1.5 times on Mount Marapi located in West Sumatra Province. Mount Merapi Observation Post Officer Teguh Purnomo in a report received in Jakarta said there were 240 earthquake gusts recorded on March 6, 2024. "The amplitude - gust earthquake - 1 to 13.5 millimeters and long earthquakes 27 to 295 seconds," Teguh said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, February 7. The gust earthquake is a more impulsive signal and is related to the process of gas release. When there was vibration, water vapor and volcanic gas coming out of the crater soared into the air which appeared to be bursts of bright-colored smoke. The gust earthquake was one of the types whose source was near the surface. The accumulation of pressure that occurred in the volcanic body became the cause of the earthquake. Based on PVMBG records, gust earthquakes over the past month were on average no more than 100 times a day. Since the past week, the number of gust earthquakes was recorded at 599 times on Mount Marapi.

PVMBG stated that volcanic activity is still relatively high with alert status or level III. The public is asked not to enter and not to carry out activities within a radius of 4.5 kilometers from the eruption center in Verbeek Crater. Conditions for activity that tend to increase, especially earthquake gusts, encourage people to use masks to avoid respiratory tract infections, as well as other equipment to protect the eyes and skin due to exposure to volcanic ash.