Mt. Merapi attracts world's scientists

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)