TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) Gede Suantika revealed that the volcanic and tectonic earthquake activities caused by Mount Agung had risen again.
He explained that the 5 SR earthquake that shook Karangasem, Bali, was one of the largest quakes since September. He also revealed that there may be more aftershocks as the result of the region’s instability.
Read also: Aerial Image Shows Fracture in Crater of Bali Volcano Mt. Agung
Previously, the Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded an earthquake at 11 kilometers Northeast of Karangasem, Bali, with the depth of 10 kilometers. The status of Mount Agung is currently steady at level III or on ‘standby’ after it was dropped a level from ‘alert’ on October 29.
Despite Mount Agung’s increasing activity, Suantika said that its status is yet to be increased to ‘alert’. He reasoned that the increased activity is only gradually increasing in a steady state. “It is still on ‘standby’. Following this recent local tectonic quake, we will observe whether the volcanic quakes will increase rapidly or not. We will evaluate it if the activity increases rapidly,” he said.
KARTIKA ANGGRAENI