Mount Merapi Erupts; Status Remains on Alert

Central Java volcano Mount Merapi erupted again this morning, March 27, at 10:56 local time. Volcanic ashes and dust column rising up to about 5,000 meters from the summit.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Chief of the Disaster Information and Communication Data Center, Agus Wibowo, stated that the eruption happened for 7 minutes with an amplitude of 75 mm, based on seismogram record.

"In addition, the Merapi eruption was also visually recorded by a monitoring camera owned by the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) located in the Bubrah Market, Mount Merapi," Agus said through a written statement, on Friday, March 27.

There has yet to be any civil report regarding the impact of the volcanic eruption. However, the BNPB has asked for the public to remain calm and to consistently monitor official information.

BPPTKG continues to maintain the status of Merapi on alert Level II. Therefore, the people are advised not to do activities within a radius of three kilometers from the peak of the volcano.

Previously, Mount Merapi erupted on Tuesday, March 3, at 05:22 local time with the plume of 6,000 meters above the summit, emitting volcanic ashes on a radius of 10 kilometers from the summit. (Tempo)