Indonesia's Mount Marapi Erupts Shooting Ashes 300 Meters into the Sky, No tourists Allowed Within 3 Km of Crater

On January 7, Mount Marapi in Indonesia erupts, sending up to 300 meters of ash into the air. Tourists and locals are not permitted in the area and up to 3 km from the crater, according to local authorities.

January 7 eruption 

On January 7, Mount Marapi, a volcano in West Sumatra Province, Indonesia, erupted for about 45 seconds, spewing ash up to 300 meters over its peak.

The eruption took place in the morning, and according to Indonesia's Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, ash and sand could potentially hit the nearby area.

According to Vietnam Plus, Mount Marapi, which is 2,891 meters above sea level, has been exhibiting volcanic activity since December 25, 2022.

Since August 3, 2011, Marapi's volcanic activity has been fluctuating and is currently at Level II.

An ash eruption with material or sand ejection, that has the potential to affect an area three kilometers from the center point of the Verbeek Crater eruption, is the current danger threat.

An increase in the December 25, 2022, Deep Volcanic Earthquake, which was recorded 13 times, and inflation in the peak station tiltmeter data were the precursors to this eruption.

Between December 26, 2022 and January 6, seismic data showed 30 local tectonic earthquakes, 11 blowing earthquakes, ten deep volcanic earthquakes, nine tornillo earthquakes, and three shallow volcanic earthquakes.

According to observations, the activity level of Marapi is still at Level II (Alert) as of January 7, at 08:00 WIB, according to the analysis of visual and instrumental data released by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Geology Agency.

December 2022

According to the Smithsonian, the seismicity at Marapi increased between December 25 and 26, 2022, as indicated by an increase in the frequency of deep volcanic earthquakes, shallow volcanic earthquakes, and tornillo-type events, linked to hydrothermal activity.

The surface activity was unchanged; over the course of the previous eight months, diffuse white plumes rose to 100 meters above the summit.

Read also: Kilauea Resumes Eruption as Lava Flows Again to Summit Crater of Hawaii Volcano 

Mount Marapi

Administratively, the Marapi Volcano (not to be confused with the more well-known Merapi volcano on Java) is situated in the West Sumatra Province's Agam and Tanah Datar Regencies.

It can be observed both visually and audibly from the Volcano Observation Post (PGA) at Jl. Prof. Hazairin 168 in KotaBukittinggi, Province of West Sumatra.

As part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, Indonesia is frequently shaken by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

With 142 volcanoes, Indonesia now has the largest population living close to volcanoes in the world.

Around 8.6 million people are living within a ten-kilometer radius of these mountains, according to Vietnam Plus.

Level II (Alert) Activity Level

Because the crater is the epicenter of the eruption and the origin of volcanic gases that may be harmful to life, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Geology Agency advised communities near Mount Marapi and visitors/tourists not to engage in activities or approach Mount Marapi within a radius of three kilometers.

The authorities hope that the neighborhood of Marapi will stay calm and not be agitated by concerns about the eruption of Marapi.

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