Four Times Launched Hot Clouds, Mount Merapi Siaga

Mount Merapi hot cloud fall (doc. BPPTG Central Java)

JAKARTA - Mount Merapi launched another four times launching hot clouds. The hot cloud shedding slid as far as 1,800 meters to the Southeast and Southwest.

Based on official information, the Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida, said the first hot avalanche cloud occurred at 00.03 WIB with a sliding distance of approximately 1,800 meters to the southwest.

"The hot avalanche clouds were recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 30 mm and a maximum duration of 160 seconds," Hanik said as quoted by Antara, Saturday, April 24.

Hot clouds of avalanches were monitored again at 00.42 WIB with a gliding distance of 700 meters to the southeast, a maximum amplitude of 40 meters, and a duration of 77 seconds. The hot cloud shedding occurred again around 01.07 WIB with a distance of approximately 800 meters to the Southeast and had an amplitude of 40 mm for a duration of 58 seconds.

"The fourth hot cloud shedding occurred at 01.29 WIB with a sliding distance of 1,200 meters. It was recorded on a seismogram with an amplitude of 55 mm and a duration of 92 seconds," he continued.

During the observation period on Saturday, 00.00 to 06.00 WIB, Mount Merapi was also observed to release six lava avalanches with a maximum glide distance of 1,200 meters to the southwest.

During that period, the BPPTKG also recorded four avalanches earthquakes with an amplitude of 30-55 mm for 77-161 seconds, and one avalanche earthquake with an amplitude of 3-31 mm for 12-115 seconds. Until now, the BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert.

The volcanic lava and hot clouds of Mount Merapi are thought to have an impact on the area in the south-southwest sector which includes the Yellow, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng and Putih Rivers. When the volcano erupts, the eruption of volcanic material can reach a radius of three kilometers from the top of the mountain.