Merapi Launches Hot Clouds 2.5 Km To The Southwest

YOGYAKARTA - Mount Merapi on the border of the Special Region of Yogyakarta and Central Java launched hot avalanche clouds with a sliding distance of 2,500 meters (2.5 km) to the southwest on Thursday 19 May. Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG), Hanik Humaida through his official statement in Yogyakarta, Thursday, stated that the hot clouds from Merapi avalanche slid at 01.59 WIB. "The hot clouds of avalanches were recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 42 mm and a duration of 181 seconds," he said, quoted by Antara. at 00.00 to 06.00 WIB, Merapi was recorded to emit incandescent lava 10 times to the southwest as far as 2,000 meters. In addition, Mount Merapi was also recorded to experience one hot cloud earthquake with an amplitude of 42 mm for 181 seconds, 39 earthquakes avalanches with with an amplitude of 3-44 mm for 34-150 seconds, five multi-phase earthquakes with an amplitude of 2-3 mm for 4-6 seconds, and two earthquakes shallow volcanic pa with an amplitude of 40-60 mm for 9-11 seconds. Until now BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Siaga. Falling lava and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can have an impact on areas within the south-southwest sector which includes the River Boyong (a maximum of five kilometers away) 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 Gendol River (five kilometers away). "If the volcano experiences an explosive eruption, the volcanic material can reach areas within a three-kilometer radius from the top of the mountain," said Hanik Humaida.