Mount Merapi Squirts Volcano-Pyroclastic Flow, Avalanche Earthquakes Occurred 50 Times

ILLUSTRATION/DOCK BETWEEN

JAKARTA - Mount Merapi has launched another Volcano-Pyroclastic Flow of avalanches with a maximum sliding distance of 1.500 meters to the southwest.

The Volcano-Pyroclastic Flow of active volcanic avalanches on the border of the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java occurred at 07.06 a.m. local time.

"Volcano-Pyroclastic Flow of avalanches are recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 60 mm and a duration of 135 seconds", said Head of the Center for Geological Disaster Research and Technology Development (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida through her official statement in Yogyakarta, Tuesday, March 30.

The BPPTKG explained that during the observation period from 00.00 a.m.to 06.00 a.m. local time, 19 times of glowing lava avalanches were observed out of Merapi with a maximum sliding distance of 1.000 meters to the southwest.

Merapi was also detected to have experienced 50 avalanche earthquakes with an amplitude of 3-20 mm for 10-92 seconds, one gusting earthquake with an amplitude of 2 mm for 11 seconds, and two multi-phase earthquakes with an amplitude of 2 mm for 5 seconds.

From the six-hour observation period, it was reported that there were 50 avalanches earthquakes, 1 gust earthquake, and two multi-phase earthquakes.

Hanik asked residents to be alert when it rains at the top of Merapi. This is prone to carrying rain lava material which can fill the river flow that is upstream on the slopes of Merapi.

"We ask the sand miners in the river channel, upstream of Merapi, to be aware of the possibility of rain lava known as cold lava", he said.