Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Mount Merapi, bordering Yogyakarta and Central Java, experienced 128 avalanche earthquakes during the observation period on Wednesday at 00:00 a.m. - 24:00 p.m. local time, the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Center (BPPTKG) stated.

Head of BPPTKG Hanik Humaida noted in his official statement here on Thursday that apart from the avalanche earthquakes, the observations also recorded 17 hybrid or multiple-phase earthquakes, three gust earthquakes, eight shallow volcanic earthquakes, and one tectonic earthquake.

Based on visual observations, medium- to thick-intensity white smoke appeared to be bellowing from the mountain and at an altitude of 100 meters above the mountain's peak.

During the observation period, incandescent lava was also spewed from the mountain five times, with a maximum distance of 1,800 meters to the southwest.

Monitoring conducted by the BPPTKG using electronic distance measurement (EDM) on February 16, 2022, showed deformation or change in the shape of the mountain, with an average distance shortening rate of 0.4 cm in three days.

In the meantime, morphological analysis on February 4-10, 2022, did not find significant morphological changes, both in the lava dome in the southwest and the dome in the center of the mountain.

The lava dome volume in the southwest was recorded at 1,670,000 cubic meters, while the volume in the center was recorded at 3,007,000 cubic meters.

The BPPTKG continues to maintain the status of the mount at Level III or on alert status.

Humaida noted that potential hazards, such as lava flows and hot clouds, could affect areas in the south-southwest that include Boyong River as long as five kilometers (km) and Bedog, Krasak, and Bebeng rivers for a maximum of seven km.

Meanwhile, potential hazards can also have an impact in the southeast that includes Woro River, for a maximum of three km, and Gendol River, up to five km.

Humaida stated that the volcanic material spewed during the eruption could reach several areas within a radius of three km from the mountain's peak.

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Translator: Katriana
Editor: Sri Haryati
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