Mount Marapi Erupts Again, Strongest This Month

"Yes, this is the strongest eruption this month," said Ahmad Rifandi, a volcano monitoring officer at Mount Marapi in Bukittinggi, on Sunday night.

He compared the eruption's recorded amplitude of 30.3 mm over 48 seconds to the previous largest amplitude of 18.7 mm over 23 seconds on June 12. "The height of the ash column was not observed due to fog," Ahmad added.

The strength of Marapi's eruption on Sunday night was also reported by Ahmad Jais, a member of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) in Bukittinggi, in Sungai Puar, Agam Regency. "The sound was loud with a rumble and caused vibrations in residents' homes," he said.

Firdaus, the head of Bukik Batabuah village in Candung, Agam, confirmed this. He noted that the sound of the eruption was clearly heard from the direction of Cumantiang.

According to PGA Marapi's records, as of Sunday, June 16, 2024, the 2,891-meter-high volcano has erupted 28 times since its major eruption on Sunday, December 3, 2023. The number of victims has reached 24, primarily hikers.

This number does not include the casualties from lahar floods and flash floods last month. At that time, severe damage occurred in Agam Regency, Tanah Datar, and Padang Panjang, with dozens of fatalities.

PGA Marapi continues to recommend that residents stay away from the volcano, which remains at Level III alert status. The designated danger radius from the eruption center (Verbeek Crater) is 4.5 kilometers.

Meanwhile, communities living around the valleys of rivers that originate from the peak of Mount Marapi should remain vigilant for potential lahar hazards, especially during heavy rains.

ANTARA

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