People on alert as Mt. Batur `coughs'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Mount Batur on Bali is spewing ash and smoke,
\nprompting the authorities to appeal to residents and tourists to
\nstay away from the 1,771 meter high volcano.<\/p>\n
Mt. Batur, 60 kilometers northeast of capital Denpasar, had
\nbeen dormant for 20 years until Sunday when it began to shoot hot
\nashes and thick smoke into the sky.<\/p>\n
The local government has declared Mt. Batur closed for
\nmountaineers and tourists until the volcanic activity stops.<\/p>\n
Officials said that up to Tuesday, the mountain had erupted
\nmore than 600 times, with a time interval of one to five minutes.<\/p>\n
Up to last night no casualties had been reported.<\/p>\n
Bali Governor Ida Bagus Oka appealed to residents of the
\nscenic mountain resort of Kintamani to stay alert for possible
\nmajor eruptions.<\/p>\n
A similar warning was issued by officials of the local office
\nof the Directorate of Volcanology, who have been closely watching
\nevery development at the mountain.<\/p>\n
Experts monitoring the volcano say that Mt. Batur began its
\ncurrent activity on Aug. 4.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that the minor eruptions were clearly visible
\nfrom Kintamani and Penelokan, two of Bali's most popular holiday
\nresorts.<\/p>\n
The gushing fire, ash and smoke have become a rare attraction
\nfor tourists who can enjoy the scene from cool Kintamani, about
\nthree kilometers from the mountain.<\/p>\n
Up to now, the volcanic activities have not affected the local
\nresidents' daily routines even though thin layers of gray
\nvolcanic ash are a common sight.<\/p>\n
The regent of Bangli, where the volcano is situated, said the
\nexplosions had not posed any health or physical danger to the
\npeople at the moment.<\/p>\n
\"There is nothing to worry about at the moment. There is no
\nreason to evacuate residents in the affected area,\" Wijana, a
\nspokesman for the Bangli administration, said.<\/p>\n
More experts<\/p>\n
The flames, most attractive at night, spout from the western
\ncrater that the locals call Batur Crater III, about 1,500 meters
\nabove sea level.<\/p>\n
Ashes and smoke have shot up to 300 meters into the sky.<\/p>\n
The government plans to bring in more experts in volcanology
\nfrom Bandung, West Java, to reinforce the monitoring team
\ndeployed in the Suter village, four kilometers from the crater.<\/p>\n
Major eruptions of Mt. Batur,a heaven for local and foreign
\nmountaineers, happened in 1804, 1917, 1926, 1963 and 1974.<\/p>\n
The largest explosion occurred in 1917, followed by one of a
\nsimilar magnitude in 1963. No data on casualties and damage for
\nthose eruptions were available.<\/p>\n
\"The mount will spew hot lava, sand, ash and gravel only if a
\nmajor explosion happens,\" said Tulus, one of the experts watching
\nthe mountain. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/people-on-alert-as-mt-batur-coughs-1447893297",
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