Mount Marapi Erupts Suddenly, Ash Column Rises 2,000 Metres from Summit

Mount Marapi in West Sumatra Province erupted, spewing a volcanic ash column approximately 2,000 metres above the summit. The Geological Agency under the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) reported the activity. The volcanic event at the 4,891-metre peak was recorded at 8:42 AM WIB this morning. “The ash column was observed grey in colour with thick intensity drifting northeast. The eruption was recorded on seismograms with a maximum amplitude of 30 mm and duration of one minute and 25 seconds,” said Acting Head of the Geological Agency Lana Saria. She explained that accumulated magma energy triggered a sudden thick ash plume, with the eruption process continuing as the disaster report was being prepared. The current activity level of Mount Marapi remains at Level II (Alert), accompanied by recommendations to restrict human activities in the hazardous zones. Local residents, climbers, and tourists are strictly prohibited from entering or conducting activities within a three-kilometre radius of the eruption centre at Kawah Verbeek to avoid threats from pyroclastic flows and hot materials. Beyond the exclusion zone, the Geological Agency advises residents living near valleys, streams, and riverbanks originating from Marapi’s peak to remain vigilant against secondary threats such as cold lava flows. To mitigate the impact of volcanic ashfall, the public is urged to wear face masks to prevent acute respiratory infections (ARI) and secure clean water supplies from hazardous contamination.