20 Volcanoes Show Increasing Activities

Kompas/Ayu Sulistyowati

Hundreds of people take refuge at the Swecaura Stadium evacuation post in Klungkung regency, Thursday (21/9). The evacuees came from several villages located within a7-kilometer radius of Mt. Agung in Karangasem regency, Bali, following the increasing frequency of the mountain’s volcanic activities since Monday evening. The government, in cooperation the Bali Disaster Mitigation Agency, has prepared more than 10 evacuation posts capable of accommodating about 200,000 people if and when the mountain erupts.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – Twenty of the 127 volcanoes in Indonesia show increasing activities. A volcano that has been declared the highest alert level of awas (danger) and has continued to erupt since 2013 is Mt Sinabung in North Sumatra. Meanwhile, Mt Agung in Bali, whose alert level was increased three days ago to siaga (caution) is also expected to erupt.

“There is increased activity at some volcanoes. But, there is no connection [between these volcanoes]. Each volcano has its own system. It is a coincidence that their activities are increasing [at the same time],” Gede Suantika, the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center’s volcano disaster mitigation head, said on Thursday (21/9).