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Alert status of rumbling Mt. Slamet, Anak Krakatau raised
The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) recommended Friday five regental administrations in Central Java distribute facemasks in anticipation of the spewing of thick ash from rumbling Mt
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The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) recommended Friday five regental administrations in Central Java distribute facemasks in anticipation of the spewing of thick ash from rumbling Mt. Slamet.
The recommendation to the five regencies — Banyumas, Purbalingga, Pemalang, Tegal and Brebes — was made after seismic activity of the mount, which has begun spewing thick ash and molten lava from its crater, increased intensively.
The recommendation was made after the alert status was raised to level three (of four) on Thursday evening, just two days after the status was raised to level two.
"The local administrations should disseminate this recommendation to the people living around Mt. Slamet," chairman of the PVMBG Surono said.
He added that Bojong and Bumujawa districts in Tegal and Pulosari district in Pemalang are expected to be the hardest hit.
In order to get rid of the increased seismic activities "we will coordinate with the Central Java provincial administration and the five regencies near the rumbling mount," he said, urging the residents to wear the masks to prevent breathing problems.
Friday's volcanic activity was marked by an increasing frequency of eruptions, followed by light earthquakes.
As of Friday, 52 small-scale tremors have been registered at the mount.
Meanwhile, the number of eruptions of Mt. Anak Krakatau, an active volcano on the Sunda Strait, reached 175 as of Wednesday, enough to raise its alert status to level three.
Jumono, an official of the Mt. Anak Karakatau monitoring team in Cinangka district, Serang, West Java, said that it is currently too dangerous to visit the mountain.
Despite Mt. Slamet's heightened alert status, however, the Bandung-based PVMBG has not recommended closure of nearby tourist sites.
The situation has remained calm in the five regencies on the slopes of the mount as people went about their daily activities as usual.
Surono said in Bandung on Friday that the lava from Mt. Slamet was not dangerous as the mountain is so huge that it would be difficult for it to reach the nearest residential sites very quickly.
"There is no need to evacuate the residents on the slopes of the mount," he said.
The Baturraden tourist site, on the southern slope of the mountain. was also busy receiving many visitors.
In response to the increased activity, trekking and hiking activities have been banned in the area.
