Ternate on High Alert due to Mount Gamalama's Volcanic Activities
19 December 2014 15:54 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The volcanic activities on Mount Gamalama in Ternate, North Maluku are still on the rise following its eruption on Thursday, December 18, 2014. Its warning status has since been upgraded from "alert" to "standby" since Thursday evening.
The head of Mount Gamalama's Observation Post, Darno Lamane, said in Ternate on Friday that seismic activities were still frequent in the area, and a light volcanic ash shower was still evident.
Darno said his team team was still unable to confirm whether the activities of the 1,700 meter-high volcano would subside or increase in the next couple of days. However, Mount Gamalama's Observation Post will be kept on high alert to observe developments.
Darno Lamane said residents who lived on the slopes on Mount Gamalama were still going about their daily activities although forbidden from being within a radius of 2.5 kilometers from the crater of the volcano.
Residents of Ternate are advised to remain calm and disregard false information and warning surrounding the eruption of Mount Gamalama. That said, since Mount Gamalama is notoriously hard to predict, Darno wants residents to remain vigilant.
It has been reported that residents' daily activities in Ternate have not been affected by the eruption of Mount Gamalama on Thursday evening, although aviation activities at Ternate's Babullah Airport have been temporarily suspended since 09:00 Eastern Indonesia Time, until further notice.
ANTARA