MORE VOLCANOS NEED TO WATCH

By Andi Abdussalam

Jakarta, Oct 29 (ANTARA) - While Mt Merapi near Yogyakarta -- which erupted on Tuesday killing at least 32 people, was still continuing its volcanic activities on Friday, people had to keep an eye on  other volcanoes which were also showing activities.          Besides Mt Merapi in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Mt Anak Krakatau on the Sunda Strait and Mt Dempo in Pagaralam district, South Sumatera, were also showing activities. These two later volcanos' activities were however not so worrisome.          Even though not so worrisome,  the status of Mount Anak Krakatau on the Sunda Strait has been raised to above normal level since in the past several days. The chief of Mount Krakatau Observation Post in Hargopancurang, Rajabasa, South Lampung, Sumatra, Andi Suardi, said here on Friday the mountain's activity had increased since four days ago.         But the status of Mount Dempo in Pagaralam district, South Sumatera, is until now still at level I  meaning the volcano's activity is normal although tens of quakes have happened following  Merapi's eruption and an earthquake  in Mentawai.          "Volcanic and tectonic quakes have happened many times after the eruption of Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta and the earthquake in Mentawai, West Sumatera, but they were of low magnitude so that they did  influence Mount Dempo's activity which was at level II in  2008," SLamet, the chief of a Mount Dempo Monitoring post, said here Friday.          As regard to the Mt Anak Krakatau, its activities have been increasing.          "The intensity of shallow and deep volcanic tremors accompanied by eruptions has been increasing," Andi Suardi said. Based on observation a total 136 eruptions were recorded to happen on Friday followed by spewing of volcanic ash while on Thursday only 30 eruptions occurred.           He said a total of 21 deep and 27 shallow volcanic tremors were recorded on Friday.           "The volume of eruptions has been increasing while volcanic tremors tend to decline," he said. He said the increasing activity of the mountain was a natural phenomena and it could happen anytime.          "Normally eruptions maximally reached only 10 times a day," he said. He said monitoring would be intensified after  the Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) raised the status of the mountain to an above normal level.          While the activities of Mt Dempo, particularly on the day when Mt Merapi erupted on Tuesday, caused several qakes.           Slamet said, according to data on seismographs on Tuesday (Oct 26), six  volcanic and tectonic quakes  happened on that day , and on Wednesday (Oct 27) volcanic quakes occurred  six times.          "Actually, Mount Dempo is still a priority on the list of volcanoes being watches by  the Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center in Bandung, even though its activity is still normal or at level I after the Mount Merapi eruption," he said.           He said there had been no increase in Mount Dempo's volcanic activity though the condition was hard to observe because of thick fog and rains.          "A few weeks ago, Mount Dempo showed an increase in its volcanic and tectonic activity although  they remained  small. "But we cannot predict its future activity, and the only thing we can do now is remain alert," he said.           The Center's team from Bandung came and installed additional recording devices at a height of 2.000 meters above sea level to support  devices on the peak of Mount Dempo in case of damage,  he said.           "Since the additional devices were installed, Mount Dempo has two mountain activity recorders, called seismometer completed with antenna which will receive signals to be transferred into the seismograph at the post," he said.          In fact, Slamet added, global positioning system (GPS) devices had also been set up at four places around the mountain which function to identify the volcanic position.           In the meantime,  Mount Merapi which erupted last Tuesday again spewed  hot clouds of ash at around 11.40 a.m. on Friday.           The hot clouds were clearly visible from Samiran village, Selo subdistrict, Boyolali district, Central Java.  At 11.25 a.m. the volcano located on the border between Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces also spewed  hot clouds of ash but on a smaller scale.           Tri Mujianto of the Mount Merapi observatory post at Jrakah village said the volcano spewed hot clouds of ash five times on Friday until 11.40 a.m.           A total of 17,776 people in Sleman district, Yogyakarta, and 13,757 people in Magelang district, Central Java, have so far been evacuated to safer places following the eruption of Mt Merapi on Tuesday.***3*** (T.A014/A/ H-NG/A014) 29-10-2010 23:52: