Anyer, Banten (ANTARA News) - Fire coming out from Mount Anak Krakatau three times raised fear of residents living in the coastal areas.

"I saw three fire sparks reaching high above the skies of Mount Anak Krakatau at 4.00 am," a resident, Wawan Krista, said here, Sunday.

Wawan said that this was the second time he saw the fire since the last one in mid-December 2010. "Today`s sparks were not as high and bright as the first one however," he said.The fire reached only 50 meters high, but the previous was higher.

People`s fear automatically raised every time the Krakatau phenomenon occurs, such as the Mount Anak Krakatau sparks on Sunday.

Another Anyer residents who was also concerned about the fire, Dudi Rahmadi, said that the fire was clearly visible twice from 1.00 to 2.00 am.

"I was on the Paku Anyer beach for an hour, and I might have seen more than that if I stayed longer," Dudi said.

According to head of the Mount Anak Krakatau monitoring post at Pasuruan village, Cinangka sub-district, Anton S Pambudi, the mount`s status is still on level II or "Alert".

"The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has yet to lower Mount Anak Krakatau`s status," Anton said.

Anton said that recently the monitoring post could not observe Mount Anak Krakatau`s seismic activities as the seismograph located there malfunctioned.(*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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