Mount Marapi of West Sumatra erupts

Mount Marapi in West Sumatra erupted on Sunday spewing clouds of volcanic ash over the region of Tanah Datar of the Sumatran province.

Head of Data and Information Center of National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said in a statement received here on Sunday that the agency has set an exclusive zone within a radius of three kilometers from the Mount Marapis peak following the eruption.

The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) reported that Mount Marapi (2,891 masl) erupted twice on Sunday at 10:01 a.m. and 10:22 a.m local time.

The first eruption sent a 300 meter high plume of smoke from the peak while the second one spewed ash much higher at around 700 meter high from the mounts peak.

"We urged people to remain calm and avoid misleading issues. The PVMBG will deliver early warning in the future will the mounts activity increase to pose danger," Nugroho said.

There have been no refuge camps set up yet since the residential areas are located outside the three kilometer radius of the exclusion zone.

Mount Marapi has been put on alert level II since August 3 2011. After the eruption occurred, there has been no increase of volcanic activities detected.

Meanwhile, District Head of Tanah Datar Irdiansyah Tarmizi said that the volcanic ash of Mount Marapi has blanketed four subdistricts namely Batipuh, Pariangan, Sungai Tarab and Salimpaung.

However, the daily activity of local people is not affected much by the thin layer of volcanic ash blanketing their homes.(*)

Source: ANTARA