However, the mount`s peak was foggy, it couldn`t be seen from the post."
Magelang (ANTARA News) - Mount Merapi in Magelang, Central Java, rumbled on Sunday morning, spewing some volcanic materials such as ash and sand to the nearby villages.

The officer of Mount Merapi Observation Post in Ngepos, Srumbung subdistrict Triyono said the volcano was rumbling at around 04.25 - 04.35 am local time.

"However, the mounts peak was foggy, it couldnt be seen from the post," he said.

Despite the blast, the Mount Merapis status remained normal, Triyono said.

Meanwhile, Village Head of Babadan, Dukun Subdistrict, Ismael said that the rumble had startled the local residents.

"After the rumble, we can see red-colored material spewed from the mounts peak. Residents were nervous, however the condition has returned to normal," he said.

Head of Data and Information Center of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said that after the blast, Mount Merapi spewed lava as far as one km away from the peak flowing to the head of Senowo River.

According to the analysis, the lava was not new or juvenile material as the mount has not hade new magmatic eruption phase, Nugroho said.

"Most of the material from the blast was gases. The dominant CO2 had triggered the blast. Some frequent tectonic earthquake that happened across Yogya and Central Java also affected the internal system of the Mount Merapi that it spewed the CO2 gas," Nugroho said.

Spewed volcanic ash and sand affected some areas in 12km radius from the peak, especially those which are located at the southeast and southwest of the Mount.

Volcanic ash fell in some subdistricts such as Dukun, Srumbung, Muntilan, Sawangan and Mungkid, Nugroho said.

"The Mount Merapis status remains normal. There is no volcanic activity increase after the blast," he said.

Local BPBD reported there was no resident evacuated due to the blast.

The blast was similar to one occurred on March 10th and 27th, Nugroho said.

(Reporting by M. Hari Atmoko/Uu.A059/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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