MT Marapi Erupts Again

Bukittinggi (Antara Bali) - Mount Marapi in Tanahdatar and Agam districts erupted again at around 07.30 local time on Wednesday with volcanic ashes being blown up to a height of 200 meters from its crater.

The volcanic ash emissions from the  2,891-meter tall mountain lasted about  15 minutes after which they drifted away in southern direction to presumably descend  on the volcano's slopes.

Later, the volcano produced a column of thick white smoke that rose to a height of 100 meters above its top. Then, for  10 minutes, the smoke stopped coming out but  after the interval it was seen merging with the mist covering part of the mountain top.

Suparmo of the  Volcanological and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) in  Bukittinggi said Mt Marapi remained  in a Level-II alert status because it was still prone to eruptions and other kinds of activity.

He called on people living on the mountain's slopes to remain alert as the volcano  was still  active although the eruptions and volcanic tremors had begun to drop in intensity and magnitude.

Since the volcano began showing increasing activity last August 3, 2011, PVMBG had installed seismometers and  digital analogs at an altitude of  2,000 meters at Nagari Batu Palano and  at an altitude of  1,500 meters at Nagari Lasi.

In normal conditions, Mt Marapi which lies next to Mt  Singgalang and Mt Tandikek often draws mountain climbers from West Sumatra and elsewhere.(*/T007)