Mt. Papandayan still dangerous, villagers urged to stay away

Budianto, The Jakarta Post, Garut

Despite the obvious dangers, many people entered the cordoned off safety area near Mount Papandayan's crater to get a closer look at the huge majestic eruption.

Hundreds of villagers, foreigners, photographers and cameramen took the risk of going in closer than one-kilometer radius cordon zone around the volcano's crater, which was still spewing ash and thick smoke on Saturday.

"The volcano is still dangerous and no one is allowed to enter the forbidden are," Mas Atje Purbawinata, a volcanologist of the directorate general for volcanology affairs and mitigation, told reporters here on Saturday.

Purbawinata said despite the decreasing number of eruptions, there were no signs that the 2,665-meter-high volcanic peak would slow down completely "and the situation is still similar to that on Friday. That is why we ask all people, including journalists, to stay at least four kilometers away from its crater. We could have a major eruption sometime in the near future."

Nonetheless, it was a good scene for viewers on Saturday morning to see the volcano's awesome power as it spewed hot ash and thick smoke to a height of 6,000 meters in the air.

The ash has been blown to the volcano's southeast over several tea plantations in Bandung regency.

"But they must know we can not do anything to help them if the volcano starts to discharge hot lava that could flow down to farmlands and villages," he said.

Purbawinata who has watched the volcano's increasing activity since it began last Monday, said some 7,000 displaced villagers who had fled their homes on Thursday would not be allowed to go back home until the volcano's status was degraded.

Garut Regent Dede Satibi said he had asked the people to remain in their temporary camps or locations in safety areas in Cisurupan and Bayongbong subdistricts.

"Food and drug stocks for the villagers are still adequate," he said after witnessing the provision by the Red Cross of humanitarian relief to the refugees.