The Status Of Mount Raung In East Java Rises To Alert

Illustration: The activity of Mount Raung which was monitored from the Mount Raung Observation Post in Songgon District, Banyuwangi Regency. (ANTARA/HO-PVMBG)

BONDOWOSO - The status of Mount Raung in East Java (East Java) has increased from Level I or Normal to Alert or Level II based on the Circular (SE) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) of the Geological Agency.

In the circular, a report on the evaluation of Mount Raung's volcanic activity, located between Bondowoso, Banyuwangi and Jember Regencies, is currently in the level of Alert activity or Level II as of September 15, 2024.

Head of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Bondowoso Regency Sigit Purnomo said that currently his party is still coordinating with the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

"Is it true that there should be no activity of a radius of three kilometers? We are still coordinating with the BMKG," said Sigit as quoted by ANTARA, Wednesday, September 18.

SE mentioned a report on the evaluation of the level of activity of Mount Raung in the period 1-15 September 2024. The volcano was clearly visible until it was covered in fog and when the weather was sunny no gas gusts were observed from the summit crater. The weather was sunny to rainy, the wind was weak to moderate to the north, southeast and south, while the air temperature was around 17-38 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, instrumental observations of the type and number of earthquakes recorded during September 1-15, 2024 or for fifteen days there were 402 gusts, one local tectonic earthquake, 71 distant tectonic earthquakes and 15 continuous tremors with an amplitude of 0.5-2 mm, dominant 0.5 mm.

In visual observations, the height of the gas gust column during this period was not observed, allegedly only occurring around the surface of the cone inside the crater.