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AGELANG: Three Hindu temple sites that date back to the eighth and tenth century are vulnerable to Mount Merapi’s cold volcanic mud flow in Magelang, Central Java.

Located near Pabelan and Tlising rivers, which are the paths for the cold volcanic mud flow, the three temple sites are Lumbung, Asu and Pendhem. These were built during the glorious Hindu era known as the ancient Mataram kingdom in 869 AD.

The Lumbung Temple is only 1 meter from Pabelan river, and the river has already eroded the 20-meter-high cliff near the temple. Meanwhile, Asu and Pendhem temples are about 200 meters from both Pabelan and Tlising rivers.

Several parts of the temples have been scattered around the sites due to the ground’s movement during the cold volcanic mud flow. Access to the three temples has also been destroyed by the volcanic mud flow.

Ikhsan, a member of the village assembly board (BPD) of Sengi village, Magelang, told newsportal detik.com that the local administration should secure the sites before the volcanic mud flow destroyed them totally. — JP