Within A Week, Mount Merapi Launches 106 Lava Falls

Photo Archives - The incandescent lava fall of Mount Merapi can be seen from Turi, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Monday (13/3/2023). (DOC. ANTARA)

YOGYAKARTA - It was recorded that during this week, Mount Merapi, which is on the border of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta, launched 106 lava avalanches.

The data was obtained from the observations of the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) from 5 to 11 May 2023.

"This week, 106 lava avalanches were observed, to the southwest (upstream of Bebeng River) with a maximum sliding distance of 1,800 meters," said Head of BPPTKG Agus Budi Santoso as quoted in a written statement received in Yogyakarta City, Saturday.

Agus also said that during this week there were 12 avalanches with small to moderate intensity from the Babadan Post.

In addition, he explained, data analysis results from Deles5, Tunggularum, Babadan 2, and Ngepos camera stations showed a change in morphology in the southwest dome of Merapi, which was triggered by lava avalanches.

"There is no significant change to the middle dome," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Saturday, May 13.

Based on air photos on March 13, 2023, according to him, the volume of the southwest dome was measured at 1,686,200 cubic meters and the volume of the central dome was 2,312,100 cubic meters.

He said that in the past week the intensity of Merapi's earthquake was lower than the previous week.

During this week, Mount Merapi was recorded to have experienced four shallow volcanic earthquakes, 16 multi-phase earthquakes, 117 avalanches, and 12 tectonic earthquakes.

BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert, which has been set since November 2020.

The potential danger of lava avalanches and hot clouds from avalanches could have an impact on Woro River up to three kilometers from the summit and Gendol River to five kilometers from the summit.

In addition, lava avalanches and hot clouds of avalanches can impact Boyong River up to five kilometers from the summit as well as Bedog, Krasak, and Bebeng rivers up to seven kilometers from the summit.

If there is an explosive eruption, then the ejection of volcanic material from Mount Merapi can reach an area within a radius of three kilometers from the top of the mountain.