Mount Merapi Erupts, Launches Hot Clouds As Far As 1.5 Km

Mount Merapi on the border of DI Yogyakarta and Central Java. (Antara)

SLEMAN - Mount Merapi erupted again. The mountain on the border of Central Java (Central Java) and the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) launched hot clouds 1.5 kilometers (km) towards Kali Boyong on Wednesday 8 February.

Head of the Geological Disaster Technology Investigation and Development Center (BPPTKG) Agus Budi Santoso said the hot cloud avalanche occurred at 07.10 WIB.

"(Hot clouds) were recorded on the seismogram with an amplitude of 52 mm and a duration of 130 seconds (2 minutes 10 seconds)," he said through his official statement, Wednesday 8 February, confiscated by Antara.

Based on BPPTKG monitoring, Agus said the impact of the ash rain due to hot clouds of avalanches occurred in the Sangup Village, Musuk District, and Mriyan Village, Tamansari District, Boyolali Regency, Central Java.

Meanwhile, during the observation period on Tuesday 7 February, at 00.00-24.00 WIB, the BPPTKG recorded four lava avalanches coming out of Mount Merapi with a maximum sliding distance of 1,800 meters to the southwest.

Until now, BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi on the border of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta at Level III or Standby.

Drops of lava and hot clouds from Mount Merapi can affect areas in the south-southwest sector which includes the Boyong River (up to five km far) and the Bedog, Krasak, Bebeng Rivers (up to seven km far).

In addition, lava avalanches and hot clouds from Mount Merapi could affect areas in the southeastern sector which include the Woro River (maximum three km away) and Gendol River (five km away).

If the volcano experiences an explosive eruption, Agus said, the ejected volcanic material can reach an area within a three-kilometer radius from the top of the mountain.