TEMPO.CO, Bandung - Mount Raung in East Java suddenly erupted on Wednesday, July 27, 2022, at 17:19 western Indonesian time or WIB, spewing ash clouds as high as 1,500 meters above the peak to the west and northwest direction.

The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) official Oktory Prambada said the eruption was not caused by magma movement activity. “It happened in 540 seconds,” he said to Tempo on Thursday, July 28, 2022

According to him, the ash column was not dense which indicated that the eruption occurred only on the surface, and it was considered a small eruption. “It's just a release of energy or degassing,” he added.

The volcano is currently in the cooling phase after its status dropped to normal some time ago. As of Thursday, there was no other eruption. PVMBG confirmed that its status has been at Level 1 or Normal since November 27, 2020.

PVMBG emphasized that residents or tourists are only allowed to conduct limited activities in the crater area of the mountain. “Limited activities mean there is no stay over or camping there,” Oktory said.

AHMAD FIKRI (CONTRIBUTOR)

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