Sumatra's Mount Kerinci Sees Increase in Volcanic Activities
Jakarta. Indonesia's tallest active volcano Mount Kerinci on the border of the Sumatran provinces of Jambi and West Sumatra spewed hot volcanic cloud towering more than 800 meters from its crater on Sunday (05/06), officials said.
The volatile volcano — towering at 3,805 meters above sea level — has been showing increasing activities since a 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the Eastern coast of Sumatra on Thursday, with small volcanic quakes recorded.
“On Monday morning, Mount Kerinci was clearly visible. It spews out a greyish cloud 800 meters high from the top of the crater with the wind blowing to Northwest,” chief of the volcano's observation Indra Saputra told Antara news agency.
The Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Agency (PVMBG) has established a three kilometer exclusion zone.
Located in the remote part of Sumatra — 138 kilometers Southeast of West Sumatra capital Padang — National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said the eruption has not posed any real danger to surrounding villages.
But officials are monitoring the volcano closely with its activities “continue to rise.”
“Mount Kerinci is Sumatra's tallest mountain ... volcanic clouds could reach airplane's cruising altitude and disrupt flights,” he said.
“People [around the volcano] are still safe … but officials have prepared a contingency plan in case the eruption in Mount Kerinci escalates.”
Tags: Keywords: