Mount Merapi’s recent increase in alert status, to level three, is evidenced by the volcano recent, more frequent rumblings.
The roar was heard not only by monitoring officers but also by residents who happened to be still in the area at the foot of Merapi.
Over the last two days, 15-16th November 2020, the roar of Mount Merapi has been heard regularly.
On Sunday 15th November, there were at least 11 rumbles at the Babadan Volcano Observation Post (PGA). On the same day, 91 quakes were recorded. Meanwhile on Monday 16th November 2020, Mount Merapi again issued a series of rumbles, three times around noon. In that period, 46 quakes were recorded.
“The source of the current roar of Merapi comes from the activity of material avalanches in the mountain,” said the Head of the Yogyakarta Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre (BPPTKG), Hanik Humaida.
The intense drop in Merapi, said Hanik, was due to the intense pressure of magma from within which was heading towards the surface of the crater.
“The material at the top is unstable, then it collapses and causes a rumbling sound,” as quoted by Tempo.co
For people who often hear the roar from Mount Merapi, Hanik appealed to them not to panic and follow instructions. According to Hanik, most people, especially those who live on the slopes, already understand what to do in the face of this activity.
“Primarily, residents must stay at a safe distance, which is outside a radius of five kilometres from the summit of Merapi,” he said.
Hanik asked the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) in a number of districts whose territory includes the Merapi area to start evacuations. They called them a foundation for mitigation measures.
Sleman Regent Sri Purnomo previously said that the local district government had evacuated no less than 185 people in the eruption-prone areas to two evacuation areas. The Sleman Regency government has also prepared an evacuation route if an eruption occurs at any time.