TEMPO.CO, Bondowoso - The intensity of gas burst at the Mount Ijen crater has reportedly lessened and returned to normal.
The head of Volcanology and Geology Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG), Gede Suantika, said the change to the crater's condition was based on the results of temporary observation on the field by a PVBMG team on Monday, March 26.
"The team from Bandung checked on the gas condition around Ijen crater to find out the kind of the gas concentration," he told Tempo on Monday.
On Wednesday night, March 21, Mount Ijen crater spewed toxic gases up into the sky, which later affected villages in Kalianyar sub-district, Sempol district, Bondowoso regency.
Read: Toxic Gases from Mount Ijen Sends 30 to Hospital
Hundreds of residents were evacuated and some rushed to hospital due to gas poisoning.
Based on the team's observation, Suantika said, the gas burst was far different from that of Wednesday night last week. He said the pungent smell was no longer felt. "The gas content is going to be normal," he said.
Meanwhile, based on the seismic observation of Observation Post of Mount Ijen, the seismic activities at Mount Ijen crater have also lulled.
Suantika said there was no plan to raise or lower the activity status of Mount Ijen as the team was still working on the field.
Suantika said the PVBMG team would conduct an evaluation based on its observation. "We will convey the results in the form of a report, including recommendations," he said.
The team will still continue checking on the condition of Mount Ijen crater in the next few days. "It's nature, we must wait for the level of stability. It cannot be targeted [that it will be completed in] a month or a week or how [it will be done], because the team will decide later," said Suantika.
DAVID PRIYASIDARTA