BPPTKG: Mount Merapi Experienced 86 Falling Earthquakes

YOGYAKARTA - The Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) stated that Mount Merapi on the border of DI Yogyakarta and Central Java experienced 86 avalanches during the observation period on Tuesday, April 12.

Head of BPPTKG Hanik Humaida, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, April 13, said that apart from avalanche earthquakes, during the observation period, two multi-phase earthquakes were recorded, one tectonic earthquake and one gust earthquake.

Based on visual observations, it appears that white smoke is coming out of Mount Merapi with a thin to moderate intensity with a height of about 30 meters above the peak.

During the observation period, nine lava avalanches were recorded from the mountain with a maximum sliding distance of 1,000 meters to the southwest.

The deformation or changes in Merapi's body shape monitored by BPPTKG using electronic distance measurement (EDM) is an average of 0.01 cm per day for three days.

Based on the results of morphological analysis from April 1 to 7, 2022, no significant changes in the height of the dome were observed on the southwest dome of Merapi and no significant morphological changes were observed in the middle dome.

According to BPPTKG, during that period the volume of the lava dome in the southwest was recorded at 1,672,000 cubic meters and the volume of the middle dome was 2,582,000 cubic meters.

Until now BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert.

Lava flows and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can impact areas in the south-southwest sector which include the Boyong River (a maximum of five kilometers) and the Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng rivers (a maximum of seven kilometers).

In addition, lava flows and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can impact areas in the southeastern sector which include the Woro River (a maximum of three kilometers) and the Gendol River (a distance of five kilometers).

If the volcano experiences an explosive eruption, then the ejection of volcanic material can reach an area within a radius of three kilometers from the top of the mountain.