ITS Expert: Beware of Mount Semeru and Merapi

An expert from the Sepuluh Nopember Institute of Technology (ITS) has called on the public to remain vigilant of Mount Semeru and Mount Merapi, amid activity at several Indonesian volcanoes occurring within a short span of time. Not long ago, an eruption of Anak Krakatau spread volcanic ash across an exceptionally wide area.

“As for the volcanoes that need to be watched at the moment, I would say Semeru and Merapi. Both deserve attention because they are located close to centres of population,” said Alutsyah Luthfian, an expert from the ITS Department of Geophysical Engineering, in Surabaya, East Java, on Monday.

Fian, as he is known, said the simultaneous activity of several volcanoes does not automatically indicate a direct connection, as each volcano has its own system and characteristics.

“Each volcano has its own cycle and character. So when several volcanoes become active within a short period, their activity is not necessarily interrelated,” he said.

According to him, the proximity of eruption timings is not a sufficient basis to conclude that the activity of one volcano triggered that of another. To determine whether there are links between volcanic activities, he said, a study of geophysical data and the condition of each volcano’s subsurface system is required.

“You cannot simply observe that the timings are close together and then conclude that one volcano triggered another. The data and conditions of each volcano must be examined,” he said.