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Mt. Sinabung alert status lowered for first time since 2015
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has lowered the alert status for Mount Sinabung in Karo regency, North Sumatra, from the highest Level IV to Level III (siaga or watch) for the first time since 2015
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span>The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has lowered the alert status for Mount Sinabung in Karo regency, North Sumatra, from the highest Level IV to Level III (siaga or watch) for the first time since 2015.
The status was lowered at 10 a.m. on Monday after the PVMBG had recorded reduced volcanic activity for the last 10 months.
“In the last 10 months, Mt. Sinabung’s lava dome has not grown and has emptied out. Based on our seismic data of the mountain, the intensity of its magma pressure and supply has not increased,” PVMBG head Kasbani added.
Mt. Sinabung roared back to life in 2010 for the first time in 400 years. After another period of inactivity, it erupted in 2013 and has remained highly active since. The PVMBG declared the highest alert status in June 2015 before finally lowering it for the first time now.
Kasbani said Mt. Sinabung’s seismic activity started decreasing last July, while earthquakes occurring between January and May this year were associated with hydrothermal processes dominated by gas or steam.
As for the eruptions which occurred on May 7, 11 and 12, Kasbani regarded the activities as sudden magmatic pulses, which were not preceded by increasing volcanic earthquakes. This shows that there was no magma pressure from inside the mountain, hence the intensity of the eruptions was relatively small.
“If we compare the earthquake energy from 2013 to 2019, the energy in 2019 is way smaller,” he said.
He said that the intensity of the magma supply was low and had even declined from the same period last year.
However, Kasbani warned about potential explosive eruptions and hot clouds.
If eruptions were to occur, the hot clouds could potentially affect areas within a 3-kilometer radius in the north-west-south sector, 5 km southeast and 4 km northeast of the peak of Mt. Sinabung, he said.
“During heavy rain, lava rain could potentially be created even without any preceding eruptions,” he added.
A Mt. Sinabung monitoring post officer, Armen Putera, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that there had been several changes in the red zones following the lowered status.
Armen said the red zone in the south-southeast sector was narrowed from 7 km to 5 km, and the southwest sector from 4 km to 3 km. No changes were made in other sectors as eruptions could still occur, he added.
Karo Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPDB) head Martin Sitepu said his agency would hold a meeting with representatives of other concerned agencies regarding Mt. Sinabung’s lowered status on Thursday. (ars)
