Sumatra's Mount Marapi Has Minor Eruption

Jakarta Globe May 18, 2012,


Mount Marapi in West Sumatra erupted early on Friday and sent a column of volcanic ash into the sky, but posed no immediate threat to the local population, according to an expert.

"It erupted at around 7:16 this morning and sent ash some 600 meters into the sky before a light wind blew the cloud toward the south," said Suparmo, a volcanologist at the Marapi observation post. He said the eruption only lasted for about 10 minutes on the nearly 3,000 meter mountain.

"[Eruptions] have occured several times since the status of Marapi was stepped up in August last year," Suparman said.

Marapi's status is now at the second, or Alert II of a five rung scale, with five being the most dangerous. Suparmo said that a three kilometer radius around the peak is currently off limits to the public as a precautionary measure.

Marapi, which should not be confused with Mount Merapi in Central Java, straddles the West Sumatran districts of Agam and Tanah Datar. The volcano has shown increased activity in the last year, with occasional eruptions of steam and ash since Aug. 3, 2011.