Mt. Merapi attracts world's scientists
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Mt. Merapi, one of Indonesia's most active volcanoes, has come under the scrutiny of the world's leading scientists.
"Six countries are involved in monitoring the volcano and doing experiments on Merapi where they have installed their instruments," said Head of the Bandung-based Volcanological Survey of Indonesia, Wimpy S. Cecep, at the "Merapi Decade Volcano Workshop", which discussed 42 papers on volcano management and other issues.
The six countries involved in the ongoing experiment are France, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, United States and host Indonesia.
The three-day workshop, which ended on Sunday, was attended by experts from 14 countries as part of the United Nations' International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction.
"It was held to promote the results of volcanological studies on Merapi and what should be done to find effective means for observing the volcano which never sleeps" he said.
The 2,911-meter-high Merapi and nine other volcanoes in the world have been named by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of Earth's Interior as the "Volcanoes of the Decade".
Wimpy said Merapi's last eruption on Nov. 22, 1994, when 66 lives were claimed, came without warning and has since perplexed volcanologists.
An American scientist shared Wimpy's point of view.
"I think one of our main jobs is to gradually improve the monitoring and forecasting methods of the volcano's activities," said Chris Newhall of the U.S. Geological Survey, who is a member of the research team.
He said it is equally difficult to predict the physical processes and direction of Merapi's lava dome.
It is important for Indonesian volcanologists and the people, particularly those living on the slope of the volcano, to sit down together and discuss it, he said. "Sometimes the experts' language is too technical and difficult for ordinary people to understand."
Head of the volcano analysis unit of the Ministry of Mines and Energy Suhyar said detection equipment has been installed on Merapi.
"They include the latest technology for seismic and deformation monitoring," Suhyar told The Jakarta Post.
He said that Merapi was chosen as the experiment site because it is the most active among the country's 129 volcanoes.
Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno said at the workshop that informing the people of expert predictions and research will help them to understand and to take the necessary precautions.
The number of people living around the volcano, particularly in the forbidden zones, is still large, Endang said. "Their beliefs surrounding Merapi are still strong." (mun/imn)