Pagar Alam, KOTABARI.COM – Mount Dempo (GAD) has once again exhibited volcanic activity with an eruption occurring on Monday (May 27, 2024) at approximately 04:06 AM WIB. According to a press release from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Indonesia and the Geological Agency, the eruption was accompanied by the emission of white to gray ash plumes rising up to 500 meters above the crater lake, with ejected material reaching a maximum distance of 300 meters from the crater.
The last eruption of Mount Dempo occurred in August 2023, characterized by a phreatic eruption with material ejections up to 500 meters around the active crater and ashfall in the surrounding area.
Summary of Crater Events in May 2024:
- May 9, 2024: The crater lake water changed color from turquoise green to gray, accompanied by thin white smoke.
- May 12, 2024, 7:11 PM WIB: A recorded exhalation earthquake with a 30 mm amplitude for 45 seconds, though visually unobservable.
- May 15, 2024: The crater lake water changed back to turquoise green.
- May 17, 2024: The crater lake water again turned gray.
- May 27, 2024, 4:06 AM WIB: An eruption earthquake was recorded with visual emissions of white to gray ash plumes up to 500 meters and ejected material reaching up to 300 meters.
Post-eruption, no significant seismic or volcanic activity was recorded until 08:00 AM WIB.
Activity Overview of Mount Dempo from May 1-26, 2024:
- The volcano was observed to be clear to foggy, with thin white smoke from the main crater.
- Recorded 11 exhalation earthquakes, 1 low-frequency earthquake, 1 deep volcanic earthquake, 3 felt earthquakes (scale I-II MMI), 19 distant tectonic earthquakes, and 26 continuous tremors with a dominant amplitude of 0.5 mm.
- Spectrogram results showed low-frequency earthquakes associated with fluid input, potentially triggering sudden fluid input reacting directly to the surface.
Hazard Potential:
- Phreatic eruptions with ejected material within a 1 km radius from the main crater.
- Light ashfall depending on wind direction and speed.
Recommendations:
- Residents and tourists should not approach or camp within a 1 km radius of the Marapi-Gunung Dempo crater, and up to 2 km in the north sector due to volcanic gases and eruption hazards.
- Residents around Mount Dempo are advised to remain calm, continue their activities as usual, not be swayed by rumors about the eruption, and follow updates through the MAGMA Indonesia app and official websites.
- Local and provincial governments and BPBD are urged to coordinate with the Mount Dempo Observation Post and the Geological Agency’s Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation.
Mount Dempo remains at Alert Level II (Waspada) and will be re-evaluated periodically or if significant changes in activity occur.
For further information, the public can access the MAGMA Indonesia application or the official websites of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Geological Agency.