Mt Sangiang Api on alert

The Jakarta Post, Mataram Wed, May 22 2013,


Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center raised the status of Mount Sangiang Api in Sangiang Island, Bima regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), to alert after volcanic activity continued to increase over the past two weeks.

Local residents and visitors have been warned to stay outside a 5-kilometer radius from the crater. The mountain has been closed to climbers.

The head of Mt. Sangiang Api observatory post, Hadi Pramono, said the warning status of the volcano, which is 1,981 meters above sea level, was raised to cautious in December.

“As volcanic activity has continued to increase since May 11, Mt. Sangiang Api’s warning level has been raised to alert,” he told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

Hadi said the increased volcanic activity could be seen from the increasing intensity of volcanic and tectonic tremors and 15-meter high white smoke coming from the crater.

He said the center had informed Bima administration and the regency’s Disaster Management Agency of the increased warning status of Mt. Sangiang Api and urged them to maintain vigilance.

Mt. Sangiang Api is located on the 152-square-kilometer Sangiang Island and the closest village is Sangiang, Wera district, Bima regency, NTB.

Hadi said there was no settlement on Sangiang Island, but residents of Sangiang village and its surrounding areas often visited the island to work the soil


Also, The Jakarta Post, Bandung Wed, May 22 2013


Activity at Mount Tangkuban Parahu in northern Bandung City, West Java, has not been monitored since Tuesday as monitoring equipment installed in Ratu crater has been stolen.

The equipment stolen included a seismograph and its battery.

“Mt Tangkuban Parahu last erupted between February and March with the center of eruption in Ratu crater,” said head of Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG), Surono on Wednesday.

Since 2010, there have been 11 thefts of monitoring equipment from different posts at Mt Tangkuban Parahu, including Ciater Station, Tower Station, Gunung Putri Station, and Bandung Institute of Technology-owned lightning research laboratory on the edge of Ratu crater.

Surono said Mt Tangkuban Parahu’s volcanic activity must be monitored accurately due the severe damages that might be caused by its eruption.