BNPB Ensures That The Increase In Mount Merapi Activities Is Still A Safe Limit

BNPB, BPPTKG, and PVMBG at the Mount Merapi Kaliurang Observation Post, Sleman, DIY, Wednesday, July 24, 2024. (ANTARA)

Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) Suharyanto said the increase in volcanic activity of Mount Merapi on the border of Sleman Regency and Central Java (Central Java) which has occurred in recent times is still within safe limits.

"We heard that in the past few days there has been an increase in the activity of Mount Merapi, for that we came here to ensure conditions and readiness in disaster management," said Suharyanto at the Mount Merapi Kaliurang Observation Post, Sleman, Yogyakarta Special Region, Wednesday, July 24, which was confiscated by Antara.

According to him, in recent times the activity of Mount Merapi has increased significantly with several incandescent lava slides and hot clouds of avalanches leading to the southwest.

"However, launching incandescent lava and hot clouds of avalanches that occurred no later than two kilometers away, while on the southwest side of Mount Merapi the closest residential area was eight kilometers from the summit," he said.

He said, with this condition, it can still be said that it is safe and people can continue to carry out their daily activities as usual.

"However, people who are active on the slopes of Mount Merapi, especially those entering disaster-prone areas (KRB,) must still increase vigilance and preparedness," he said.

Suharyanto said that people in the Mount Merapi area in Sleman, DIY and Magelang, Klaten and Boyolali Regencies in Central Java do not need to worry too much because every time there is a development of vulkajik activity, it will continue to be informed to the public.

"So far, good cooperation has been established between local governments and related agencies such as the Yogyakarta Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) and the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) to convey information at any time related to the development of Mount Merapi," he said.

As for disaster management measures, local governments through the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) also always coordinate with BNPB.

Head of PVMBG Hadi Wijaya who was also present on the occasion said that his party and BPPTKG always monitor the development of Mount Merapi's activities.

"We continue to monitor every day, and every six hours provide information to the public about the condition of Mount Merapi. Our goal is to keep the community calm and safe when a disaster occurs," he said.

Head of BPPTKG Agus Budi Santosa said that the activity of Mount Merapi is currently still at the alert level since November 2020, and almost every day there is a launch of incandescent lava or hot clouds falling.

"It's just that in the last few days the weather has been very sunny, so the lava disbursement is very clear. In addition, the southwest region of Mount Merapi is an area that is a bit flat so that incandescent lava slides such as spreading all over the foot of Mount Merapi, it is only in the river basin in the southwest of Merapi," he said.