PVMBG Asks People To Beware Of Marapi Eruption

Mount Marapi West Sumatra/DOCUMENTATION BETWEEN

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has asked people around Mount Marapi in Agam Regency and Tanah Datar Regency, West Sumatra to be aware of the threat of eruptions considering that mountain activity fluctuates.

"This volcanic activity is still fluctuating, especially its seismicity," said the Head of the Emergency Response Team for the Eruption of Mount Marapi PVMBG Ugan Saing, quoted by ANTARA, Monday, April 8.

Since Mount Marapi erupted on December 3, 2023, the mountain activity has fluctuated. However, in recent times PVMBG noted that its activity tends to decline. However, PVMBG emphasized that people or visitors are prohibited from doing activities within a radius of 4.5 kilometers from the eruption center or Verbeek Crater.

Furthermore, if there is an eruption or ash rain, people are asked to use masks to avoid acute respiratory tract infections.

People living around the valley, rivers or banks that head up at the top of Mount Marapi to always be aware of the potential for lava threats that can occur, especially during the rainy season.

"We also urge the public not to spread false narratives related to the eruption of Mount Marapi," he said.

Based on data from the Mount Marapi Volcano Observation Post, there was an eruption on Monday morning at 08.19 WIB. The column height was observed about 400 meters above the top of the mountain (3,291) meters above sea level.

The ash column is observed to be gray with thick intensity leaning towards the east. The eruption was recorded on a seismogram with an amplitude of a maximum of 5.9 millimeters and a duration of 32 seconds.

"So, in general, the activity of Mount Marapi shows a downward trend but the eruption continues to occur. Mount Marapi's activities remain high," he said.