The center's head, Hanik Humaida, noted in an official statement here on Tuesday that the CCTV monitoring of the two lava avalanches during the observation period from 00:00 to 6:00 local time showed them travelling upstream of Gendol River.
In addition to the lava avalanches, during that period, the center also recorded 10 tremors, with amplitude ranging between three and 27 mm and lasting between 23 and 92 seconds and one low-frequency tremor of 3-mm amplitude for 13.6 seconds.
According to visual observations, the crater smoke was visibly white and of thin intensity and rose 30 meters above the crater's peak. The wind blew weakly over the mountain toward the southeast direction. Air temperatures were recorded at 15-19 degrees Celsius; air humidity, 74-88 percent; and air pressure, 627-688 mmHg.
The center has, until now, maintained the status of Mount Merapi at level II, or alert, and for the time being has advised against conducting climbing activities apart for disaster mitigation-related investigation and research.
The center has appealed to residents to not conduct activities within a three-kilometer radius from the volcano's summit.
The center has called on residents living in the vicinity of Gendol River to increase vigil over the extent to which the hot clouds from Merapi will dissipate.
The local people were also urged to not be provoked by issues related to Mount Merapi's eruption, whose sources were unclear and to adhere to the directives of the local government officials or to directly approach the Observation Post of Mount Merapi or the center for any clarification or queries. EDITED BY INE
Translator: Bambang Purwanto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2019
