Mount Anak Krakatau Remains at Level III (Alert) Status

Anyer, Banten (ANTARA) - The status of Mount Anak Krakatau (GAK) in the waters of the Sunda Strait remains at Level III (Alert) based on the recommendation of the Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG).

Deni Mardiono, head of the Anak Krakatau Volcano Observation Post (PGA) in Pasauran, Anyer, Banten, said on Monday that local residents and tourists are prohibited from approaching the Mount Anak Krakatau area, as it remains dangerous.

Officials recommend keeping at least a three-kilometre radius away from the volcano’s vicinity.

“We hope that residents and tourists will comply with this prohibition,” he said.

Abang, an official at the Pasir Putih tourist attraction in the Carita Beach area of Pandeglang, said visitor numbers have appeared sparse in recent days, largely due to the impact of the increased activity of Mount Anak Krakatau.

Normally, weekends draw crowds of tourists, but currently the area is quiet with only a handful of visitors.

“For the past seven days, relatively few visitors have come here,” Abang said.

Likewise, Fatimah, manager of the Carita Beach tourist site, acknowledged the drop in visitors as a result of Mount Anak Krakatau’s activity, which has left people frightened.

Nevertheless, drawing on the experience of the 2018 tsunami disaster, she noted that Carita Beach had previously attracted large numbers of visitors.

The Carita Beach area on Banten’s western coast boasts beautiful, natural scenery with its own distinctive charm and appeal.

In addition, Carita Beach is easily accessible by vehicle and not far from Jakarta.

“We are confident that within a month, visitor numbers to Carita Beach will pick up again,” she said.