Mt Tangkuban Parahu Closed for Tourists as Alert Level Escalated
7 January 2015 02:54 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mount Tangkuban Parahu tourism site in Bandung, West Java was closed for tourists after the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) escalated the alert status of the mountain to Level II.
“It has been closed since the morning, “ said Mochammad Pakib, the Section Head of Emergency and Logistic of the West Bandung Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPDB).
According to Pakih, the vendors around the main crater Kawah Ratu had also been called down. Officers were deployed at the entrance gate to the mountain to prevent people entering the site.
The volcano’s status was escalated after an increase in the seismic activity. PVMBG had recorded 513 low frequency quake and 352 shallow volcanic quake during December 2014.
PVMBG head Mohamad Hendrasto said the tourism site closure is necessary since there is a risk of freatic explosion.
“There is a potential of freatic eruption, which can happen in a short time. It could erupt in a sudden,” said Hendrasto.
“Our recommendation is that it should be sterile from human in 1.5-kilometer distance.”
Hendrasto added that such explosion had happened in 2014 and spilled gravels and ashes around Kawah Ratu.
“The freatic explosion only affects region around the crater. Therefore residential area around the volcano can continue their daily activities, except going to the top.”
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