Mount Merapi Releases 16 Lava Falls As Far As 1.5 Kilometers

DOC ILUSTRATE - Mount Merapi launched incandescent lava from Turi, Sleman, DI Yogyakarta, Sunday (25/4/2021). BETWEEN PHOTOS/Hendra Nurdiyansyah/wsj.

YOGYAKARTA - The Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) said Mount Merapi on the border of Central Java and the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY) on Thursday issued 16 lava avalanches with a maximum sliding distance of 1.5 kilometers.

Head of BPPTKG Yogyakarta Agus Budi Santoso explained that based on observations from 00.00 to 06.00 WIB, the lava avalanche slid towards the Bebeng River.

"Alert 16 lava avalanches to the west (Kali Bebeng) with a maximum sliding distance of 1,500 meters," he said as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, November 16.

During this observation period, Mount Merapi also experienced 25 avalanches with an amplitude of 3-17 mm for 26.12-143.4 seconds and 78 times a multi-phase earthquake with an amplitude of 3-12 mm for 5.52-11.68 seconds.

The smoke from the weak pressure crater above the peak of Mount Merapi was observed to be white with a thick intensity and a height of 75 meters above the crater peak.

During the observation period Wednesday (15/11) at 00.00-24.00 WIB, Mount Merapi also launched five lava avalanches towards Bebeng River with a maximum sliding distance of 1,000 meters.

"One sound was heard from the Babadan Post with a small noise intensity," said Agus.

Based on the BPPTKG analysis for the period 3-9 November 2023, the morphology of the southwest dome of Mount Merapi was observed to have a slight change due to lava avalanche activity. Meanwhile, significant changes were not observed for the central dome.

Based on the analysis of aerial photos on September 28, 2023, the volume of the southwest dome was measured at 3,097,700 cubic meters and the middle dome was 2,358,500 cubic meters.

BPPTKG still maintains the status of Mount Merapi at Level III or Alert 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 have an impact on the Boyong River up to five kilometers from the summit as well as the Bedog, Krasak, and Bebeng rivers up to seven kilometers from the summit.

If there is an explosive eruption, he said, 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.