"Despite frequent tremors hitting the area, villagers around it remain calm."
Banjarnegara (ANTARA News) - The Banjarnegara Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) said several tremors had continuously shaken Timbang Crater in Sumber Rejo Village, Banjarnegara District, Central Java from Sunday to Monday morning.

"The Volcanic and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) monitored seven deep volcanic earthquakes from 6pm on Sunday to 6am on Monday," said officer in charge of the Timbang Crater Emergency Post, Andri Sulistyo, here on Monday.

Meanwhile he said 27 shallow earthquakes had been recorded at the same time.

Previously, Andri noted 12 deep volcanic earthquakes and 41 shallow earthquakes along with two blasts jolted the area from 00.00 hours to 18.00 hours on Sunday.

Under a normal status, averagely only ten deep and less than five shallow earthquakes happen in a month at Timbang Crater, Andri said.

"Despite frequent tremors hitting the area, villagers around it remain calm," Andri said adding that no one has left because of the conditions.

Timbang Crater has also been sending out white thick smoke in a weak pressure 50 to 80 meters high to the west, Andri said.

He added that the wind around the crater blows weakly to the west while the weather is good.

"In the range of 1,000 meters to the west from the crater, we can feel the pungent smell of sulfur. While 1,500 meters to the south, the sulfur smell is not too strong," said Andri.

The mitigation officer detected H2S gas concentration reaching 5 ppm in Simbar Hamlet located one kilometer west of the crater.

Meanwhile the officer also detected H2S gas reaching 6 ppm in Serang Hamlet located north west of the crater.

"The normal gas level safe for life is under 0.5 percent for CO2 and below 10 ppm for H2S gas," said Andri.

The PVMBG has produced an alert status for Timbang Crater and recommendation for people against conducting activities within the radius of 1,000 meters from the crater.

"We have put up evacuation information boards in several in several points in the streets of Batur Sub-district, particularly in Sumber Rejo and Batur Villages," said Andri.

The officers have installed light towers to monitor activities of Timbang Crater in the evening at a safe location 1,000 meters of the crater.
(Uu.B019/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013