ESDM urges the public not to engage in activities within the danger radius of Mount Awu
Manado (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has urged the public not to carry out activities within the danger radius of Mount Awu after the volcano on Sangihe Island was raised to Level III (Standby).
The Acting Head of the Geological Agency, Lana Saria, said in a special report on the increased activity of Mount Awu that residents should not enter or be active within the four-kilometre radius of the crater center.
Residents are also advised to remain calm and comply with the recommendations issued by the Geological Agency through the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, and not to be swayed by news that is inaccurate and not responsible regarding Mount Awu.
The report noted that seismic activity at Mount Awu has shown an upward trend since April 2024, particularly for shallow volcanic earthquakes.
A swarm of volcanic earthquakes occurred on 24 and 25 August 2024, with 364 shallow volcanic earthquakes recorded.
Seismic monitoring from 1‒18 May 2026 recorded 519 shallow volcanic earthquakes (VB), 24 volcanic earthquakes (VA), four local tectonic earthquakes (TL), and 454 deep tectonic earthquakes (TJ).
On 19 May 2026 from 00.00–12.00 WITA, 74 shallow volcanic earthquakes (VB) and three volcanic earthquakes (VA) were recorded.
The increase in seismicity represents the second instance of shallow earthquakes increase since 4 May 2026, when 74 shallow volcanic earthquakes were recorded.
White plumes were observed rising from the crater, ranging in height from 10–200 metres above the lava dome.
This uptick in seismicity warrants caution, given that Mount Awu has experienced several increases in activity since 2024 and its eruption style can evolve rapidly.
Potential hazards include magmatic or phreatic eruptions, and a possible collapse of the lava dome if pressure in the magmatic system rises significantly.
The volcanic quakes’ increase prompted the alert level to be raised from Level II (Watch) to Level III (Standby) on 19 May 2026 at 13:00 WITA.