TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Mt Gede Pangrango closure extended following heightened volcanic activities
Authorities explained that the mountain has experienced a rise in deep volcanic earthquakes over the past few days, indicating a rise in pressure beneath the volcano.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Taking it in: A man sits overlooking the thick rainforests that cover the Gunung Gede Pangrango National Park (TNGGP) in West Java in this undated photo. (JP/Theresia Sufa)
A
uthorities have extended the closure of Mt. Gede Pangrango National Park (TNGGP) in West Java to the public following a recent surge in volcanic activity along the popular trekking route.
Adhi Nurul Hadi, head of the TNGGP management, explained that the mountain has experienced a rise in deep volcanic earthquakes over the past few days, indicating a rise in pressure beneath the volcano.
"This heightens the risk of a phreatic eruption and the potential release of toxic gases from the crater, which could be fatal to hikers if inhaled at certain levels," Adhi said on Friday.
A phreatic eruption is a steam-driven explosion that occurs when magma heats groundwater or surface water, causing rapid evaporation and a powerful release of steam, water, ash and rock fragments.
Adhi stated that to ensure the safety and well-being of visitors, park authorities have decided to extend the closure of Mt. Gede Pangrango until April 7, with the possibility of further extensions depending on additional assessments from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s Geology Agency.
Muhammad Wafid, head of the Geology Agency, reported that between midnight and 6 a.m. on Tuesday, Mt. Gede Pangrango experienced 21 deep volcanic earthquakes, far surpassing the frequency of zero to one earthquakes per day recorded during March 1-31.
"In response to the increased volcanic activity, we urge all local residents, visitors and tourists to stay clear of areas within a 600-meter radius of the mountain’s crater," Wafid said on Wednesday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
