Basarnas: Anak Krakatau's activity a consideration in search for journalists
Visual observations show the volcano covered in mist, while seismic monitoring has recorded continuous shallow volcanic earthquakes accompanied by tremors.
Pandeglang, Banten (ANTARA) — Basarnas has stated that the potential hazards of Mount Anak Krakatau’s activity are a special consideration for the joint SAR team on the eighth day of the search operation, Tuesday, for a group of journalists and the crew of a speedboat in the Sunda Strait, Pandeglang Regency, Banten.
Rizky Dwianto, Head of the Operations Section at the Banten SAR Office, said that the results of an evaluation meeting with the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) indicated that although an eruption has not yet occurred, the accumulation of energy from shallow volcanic activity at Mount Anak Krakatau could potentially trigger a larger eruption than previous ones.
“These are the things that need to be anticipated for the safety of the joint SAR team in carrying out the search,” he said at the National SAR Main Post at Carita Beach, Pandeglang, on Tuesday.
He assured that the SAR team’s movements are all conducted under strict monitoring of Mount Anak Krakatau’s volcanic activity, aligned with periodic recommendations from PVMBG.
In addition, weather analysis data from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) also serve as a reference. Weather conditions in the Sunda Strait waters are reported as cloudy, with wave heights of 0.5 to 2.5 metres heading north-east, and wind speeds ranging from 5 to 20 knots moving from the south-east to the south.
Based on the eighth-day SAR operation plan map, the joint SAR team is sweeping five maritime search sectors with a total area of approximately 3,962 square nautical miles.
Sector A, covering 1,026 square nautical miles, will be searched by KRI Gilimanuk and KRI Leuser. Sector B, spanning 780 square nautical miles, involves KN SAR Antasena and KP Sanjaya. Sector C, with an area of 825 square nautical miles, will be swept by KN SAR Tetuka, KRI Lepu, and KRI Kerambit.
Sector D, covering 872 square nautical miles, involves KN SAR Basudewa, RIB 02 Lampung, KAL Anyer, and KAL Pahowang.
Meanwhile, Sector F, with an area of 459 square nautical miles, will be searched by RIB 02 Banten, RBB Pulau Peucang, several KP Polairud vessels, and other supporting elements.