ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – A number of volcanoes in Indonesia have experienced increased volcanic activity, some of them have even increased their status from their previous status.
Head of the Geological Agency of the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Muhammad Wafid, emphasized that the increase in volcanic activity at almost the same time is completely unrelated to each other.
“Currently there are 7 volcanoes with Alert and Alert status but they are erupting. These volcanoes are spread across Sumatra (Mount Marapi), Java (Mount Merapi, Mount Semeru), Sulawesi (Mount Ruang), Maluku (Mount Ibu) and Nusa Southeast (Mount Leowotobi Laki, Mount ili Lewotolok). These mountains have erupted simultaneously until January 2024 with the duration of the eruption crisis ranging from 1 week to months,” said Wafid, quoted Monday, June 10 2024.
Wafid emphasized that the increase in volcanic activity marked by this eruption, even though it was almost close to each other, was not related to each other but occurred as a result of a series of volcanic earthquakes and local earthquakes.
“Even though the eruption events are close to each other in Sumatra-Java-Sulawesi-Maluku and East Nusa Tenggara, the eruption events are not related to each other. The eruption of each mountain occurred due to the recording of a series of volcanic earthquakes and local tectonic earthquakes as an indication of the movement of magma fluids from a depth of about 15 km to the surface of the mountain itself,” continued Wafid.
Wafid gave an example, the eruption incident on Mount Marapi since December 2023 which is still ongoing until now (occasional ash eruptions), has resulted in triggering flash floods on May 11 2024 and the loss of life and damage to infrastructure, then continued with the eruptions of Mount Merapi, Mount Semeru and Mount Ili Lewotolok is still occurring and the eruption is a series of eruptions from the previous year so that the mountain’s status is maintained at level III (Alert).
“Intensive monitoring continues to be carried out to evaluate volcanic activity throughout Indonesia in coordination with local regional governments and the Regional Disaster Management Agency,” said Wafid.
Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) of the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Hendra Gunawan, confirmed this.
“Currently PVMBG is modernizing its equipment so that in the future PVMBG can more accurately localize tectonic earthquakes exactly where they are, because sometimes if we don’t have the support of more modern and complete equipment then we hope we can determine the location of local tectonic earthquakes more accurately,” said Hendra. (AT Network)
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