Cinangka, Banten – The volcano monitoring post in Cinangka, Banten province, has recorded an increase of eruptions over the past three days, a local government official said.
“The number of eruptions has increased from 85 times on Friday and Saturday to 207 times on Sunday,” the Cinangka monitoring post`s chief, Anton S Pambudi, said here Sunday.
The volcanic earthquake activities of the Mount Anak Krakatau also tended to increase, he said.
The post recorded 741 times of earthquakes with 226 tremors, 207 eruptions, 229 blowouts, 77 shallow volcanic quakes (VB) and two deep volcanic quakes (VA), he said.
“On Saturday, there are only 85 times of earthquakes, consisting of eight times of VA, 69 times of VB, 225 tremors, and 167 blowout totaling of 554 times volcanic quakes,” he said.
According to Anton, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) staff, the Mount Anak Krakatau`s current status remained at the “alert” stage or level II.
“We are recommending the people and residents not to get closer than two kilometer radius,” he said.
Despite the increasing volcanic activities of the mount Anak Krakatau, local residents said that the government had yet to notify them about the situation.
A local resident named Meti said that there were no directions and notifications from the local government regarding the eruption disaster handling management.
“I have already been familiar with the volcano`s loud bangs but I am only concerned with tsunami that may come at any time,” Meti said.
The related authorities need to help locals understand what to do in anticipating an emergency situation. The tsunami recently hitting the Mentawai Isles, West Sumatra, had scared them, he said.
A senior geologist had recently said that the current activity of Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Strait would not lead to a tsunami.
“Mount Anak Krakatau is a young strombolian volcano which will keep erupting but will not cause a tsunami,” M Suchyar, head of the energy and mineral resources ministry`s geological agency, said.
He said the danger status of the mountain had been raised to a level above normal and the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center had recommended a ban on visits to the mountain.
He said the mountain which is located in the waters of the Sunda Strait would continue to be active as a young volcano.
“Anak Krakatau`s eruption activity is in the active crater up to around 300 meter above sea level. There will be no tsunami. People must not be provoked by rumors,” he said.
He said Anak Krakatau was a young volcano. It had risen from the sea to a height of 400 meters over the past 73 years, he said.
source : onlinesumatra.com
