Mount Dempo Pagaralam Has Alert Status After Eruption

Mount Dempo in Pagaralam City, South Sumatra. (PHOTO BETWEEN/Yudi Abdullah/2023)

PALEMBANG - The Dempo Volcano Monitoring Post (PGA) in Pagaralam City, South Sumatra is currently still in level two or alert status. The previous mountain eruption occurred on Tuesday (25/7) night.

"The eruption that occurred on Mount Dempo on Tuesday (25/7) night was the second in July 2023, although it has again shown that its active condition is still quite safe for local communities and for climbers," said Head of PGADempo Pagaralam Post, Megian Nugraha. reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, July 26.

GunungDempo has been on alert (level 2) for the last 1.5 years. This status is the same as the Rinjani Volcano in Jambi, which is on alert (level 2) for a longer time.

Pos PGA appealed to climbers who would climb to Mount Dempo to stay away from the Dempo merapi crater about one kilometer from the crater's lips.

"If the climber's position is too close to the edge of the Merapi Dempo crater in alert status (level 2) it is very dangerous if there is a sudden eruption or eruption," he said.

According to Megian, the activity of Mount Dempo has nothing to do with or impact with the eruption of other nearby mountains or those on the island of Sumatra, such as Mount Merapi in West Sumatra and Mount Kerinci in Jambi.

Based on data from the PGADempo Post, the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Pagaralam City, apart from having two eruptions recorded in July 2023, eight volcanic earthquakes were also recorded.

This condition has been reported to the Central PVMBG in Bandung and will be evaluated by the center whether the status will increase or remain at level two.