Mount Merapi Today: Launches Hot Clouds 2.5 Km

Mount Merapi (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Mount Merapi on the border of Central Java Province and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, launched hot clouds of avalanches with a sliding distance of 2,500 meters (2.5 km) to the southwest on Wednesday, September 1.

Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) Hanik Humaida said the hot cloud avalanche occurred at 10.13 WIB with a column height of 600 meters to the west.

"The hot cloud avalanche was recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 42 mm and a duration of 195 seconds," he said in an official statement quoted by Antara.

He explained that during the observation period from 00.00 to 06.00 WIB, the active volcano also released incandescent lava five times with a maximum sliding distance of 1,500 meters to the southwest.

In addition, the mountain was also recorded to experience 45 earthquake avalanches with an amplitude of 4-18 mm for 20-119 seconds, 40 earthquakes with an amplitude of 3-5 mm for 8.8-13.24 seconds, seven low-frequency earthquakes with an amplitude of 3-4 mm. with a duration of 8.72-9.56 seconds. Furthermore, one multi-phase earthquake with an amplitude of 5 mm for 7.64 seconds and one distant tectonic earthquake with an amplitude of 3 mm for 43.6 seconds.

Until now, BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at level III or standby.

The lava fall and hot clouds of Mount Merapi are expected to have an impact on the south-southwest sector, which includes the Yellow, Boyong, Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng, and Putih rivers.

When an eruption occurs, the ejection of volcanic material from Mount Merapi is estimated to be able to reach an area within a radius of three kilometers from the top of the mountain.