Mount Soputan Generating Less Energy, PVMBG Status Remains Alert

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center (PVMBG) reported that two districts were showered with volcanic ash rain after Mount Soputan erupted on Sunday morning, December 16.

“The south and southeast region of the mountain in Pasan and Tombatu Districts [were covered in ash] but were not too thick,” said PVMBG Eastern Region’s Head of Volcanic Mountain Mitigation Devy Syahbana on Monday, December 17.

The constant monitoring from PVMBG reveals that the graphic triggered by Mount Soputan’s energy has continued to drop since its initial eruption and came to its lowest point at 00:00 the following night after its eruption and lasted until midday on Monday.

Read: Mount Soputan Erupts; PVMBG Advises Locals to Stay Away

“The volcanic ash rain only affected North Sulawesi and not the entire Sulawesi,” said Devy.

Despite showing relatively calm status, Devy said that members of the PVMBG are still on alert for the potential eruptions that might strike in the future. This is also the reason why the agency has yet to reduce Mount Soputan’s alert level which was constantly risen from Alert II to Alert II back in August.

Mount Soputan, which erupted earlier in October, is located 50 kilometers southwest of Manado City, North Sulawesi and is measured at level 3 volcanic explosivity index (VEI) by the PVMBG.

ANWAR SISWADI