T

he alert levels of three more volcanoes have been heightened by the Geological Agency'€™s Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) as they have shown increased activity over the past few days.

The three are Mount Merapi on the border of Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces, Mt. Slamet in Central Java and Mount Soputan in North Sulawesi.

The alert status of Merapi was increased from active normal to the third highest level of waspada (alert) on Tuesday, Mt. Slamet was increased from waspada to the second-highest level of siaga (standby) on Wednesday while Mt. Soputan was also increased from waspada to siaga on Thursday.

'€œIn total currently we have six volcanoes that are at the siaga level,'€ Geological Agency head Surono said in Bandung on Thursday.

The other four volcanoes that are at the siaga alert level are Mt. Rokatenda in East Nusa Tenggara, Mt. Sinabung in North Sumatra, Mt. Lokon in North Sulawesi and Mt. Karangetang also in North Sulawesi.

The alert status of Mt. Soputan was raised on Thursday at 10 a.m. Jakarta time after an increase in volcanic earthquakes at the mountain. It was also seen spewing dust and ash from its crater up to 100 meters into the air.

With the raising of the alert level, people living on the slopes of Mt. Soputan were advised not to conduct activities within a radius of 6.5 kilometers from the crater.

In Yogyakarta, Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) head Subandriyo recommended that local administrations convey information regarding the latest situation on Mt. Merapi to residents.

'€œWe also call on people not to be easily alarmed by reports from unconfirmed sources,'€ said Subandriyo, adding that up-to-date information about Mt. Merapi could be accessed through the community radio on 16507 MHz or by phone on (0274) 514180.

He said that as of Thursday, or one day after the alert level at Merapi was raised, the booming noise from the volcano that had indicated the release of gas from its magma core had significantly decreased.

'€œI was at the observation post in Babadan, Magelang [Central Java], from midnight until very early this morning and heard no loud bangs at all,'€ Subandriyo said, Thursday.

Head of Glagaharjo subdistrict, Sleman regency, Suroto, said he had called on residents to be prepared if an eruption occurred and to take valuables and important documents from their homes to the homes of friends or relatives living far from Mt. Merapi.

'€œWhen eruptions occur, we will not be able to move quickly because the evacuation routes have been seriously damaged,'€ Suroto said, referring to the roads leading into his subdistrict, which have been severely damaged due to the heavy volume of trucks carrying sand from the nearby Gendol River.

Meanwhile, Klaten Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) has prepared three evacuation routes following the increase in the alert status of Mt. Merapi.

A rapid-response team has also been put on standby in case eruptions occur. '€œWe directly coordinate with volunteers every time there is a new development,'€ Klaten BPBD head Sri Winoto said.

He also called on local people not to be easily panicked as all the evacuation routes and centers had been well-prepared.

Surono, a resident of Balerante, whose home is located only some 5 kilometers from Mt. Merapi'€™s crater, said that he was still carrying out his daily activities as usual regardless of the booming noises emanating from the volcano.

Agus Azka, Suherdjoko, Slamet Susanto and Kusumasari Ayuningtyas also contributed to this article.