Head of the Bukittingi Geological Volcanological Survey and Geological Hazard Mitigation Center Warseno said here on Sunday that while thick white smoke has been decreasing, the volcano still causes earthquakes, as on last Thursday (Aug 18) seven tremors had been registered 6 pm. Even so the mount`s activity is decreasing from its situation on August 3, 2011.
Warseno said that the mountain`s alert status level II had banned climbers to get close to the peak in a radius of 3-kilometers.
The 2,981 meters high above sea level Mount Marapi which is located in Tanahdatar sub-district, Agam district, West Sumatra, became active on August 3, 2011.
BMKG has installed three seismographs and a digital analog instrument on an altitude of 2,000 meters in Batu Palano, and on an altitude of 1,500 meters in Lasi.
The mountain had also been spewing volcanic ash with a sulfuric smell 1,000 meters high and covering a number of areas in West Sumatra, such as Agam, Tanahdatar, Pariaman, Padangpariaman, and Padangpanjang.
Mount Marapi in Bukittinggi last erupted in 2005, in standby status, the city of Bukittinggi has become one of the evacuation zones.
In a normal active state, the mountain adjacent to Mount Tandikek Singgalang had always been a popular destination of domestic climbers.(*)
Editor: Ruslan Burhani
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
