Poisonous gas crater appears on plateau

BANJARNAGARA, Central Java: A crater spewing poisonous gas has opened up in the Dieng Plateau where poison gas killed 49 people in 1979, Antara reported yesterday.

The news agency reported that local farmers noticed that part of a potato field began to smell foul on Monday before a crater spewing gas and smoke formed on the following day.

The crater, which had expanded to some 100 square metres (1,076 square feet) by yesterday, was issuing poisonous hydrogen sulfide.

The Dieng Plateau, at a height of some 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) above sea level, is a popular tourist attraction because of its cool climate and ninth-century Hindu temples.

The area already has four craters spewing poisonous gas.

The local authorities decided to close the area to farming and tourism activities yesterday.

Head of Karangsari village here, Maryanto, said the area, which is near the Gatotkaca and Ardjuna temples, is being closed to protect the people from inhaling the hydrogen sulfide the crater emits.