Mount Marapi Volcano Eruption: Ash Spews 3 Km Into the Sky in Indonesia.
Padang, Indonesia: Mount Marapi, the most active volcano on Sumatra island in western Indonesia, erupted on Sunday, releasing a column of ash soaring around three kilometers into the sky, as reported by officials.
The ash observed 3,000 meters above the volcano’s peak, prompted authorities to impose an exclusion zone around Marapi’s crater.
Hendra Gunawan, head of Indonesia’s Centre of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, stated that the ongoing eruption produced a grey-colored ash column with a thick intensity leaning toward the east.
Despite the substantial ash cloud, there have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties following the eruption at 2:54 pm local time (0754 GMT). The volcano is currently at the third-highest alert level in Indonesia’s four-step system.
Communities around Mount Marapi, as well as tourists, are prohibited from hiking within a three-kilometer radius of the crater.
Ahmad Rifandi, an official at the Mount Marapi monitoring station, reported ash rain in Bukittinggi city, the third-largest city in West Sumatra.
“For the ash rain, it has reached Bukittinggi city. It is hoped for people who have activities around Marapi mountain to wear hats, glasses, and masks,” said Ahmad Rifandi.
Mount Marapi stands at 2,891 meters and is situated in the Indonesian archipelago, known for its high volcanic and seismic activity due to the convergence of continental plates along the Pacific Ring of Fire. The country has nearly 130 active volcanoes, with Mount Marapi being one of the most active.
Source: Agence France-Presse (AFP)
Leave a Reply