PVMBG: Mount Kerinci Safe, Activity Dominated by Shallow Earthquakes
Jambi City (ANTARA) - The Head of the Kerinci Volcano Observation Post (PGA), Irwan Safwan, has confirmed that Mount Kerinci remains at Level II (alert) status, with routine fortnightly evaluations recording no significant increase in earthquake activity.
“Activity is still dominated by shallow earthquakes such as low-frequency blowing earthquakes, with an occasional tectonic earthquake recorded. Judging from the evaluation results, it is still safe for now,” he said when contacted in Jambi on Tuesday.
Responding to the appearance of white smoke emerging from the crater, Irwan said the phenomenon is entirely normal and not a sign of an eruption. According to him, the white smoke occurs due to the influence of groundwater around the crater.
In addition, he affirmed that Mount Kerinci’s activity is not directly linked to other active volcanoes, as each volcano has its own separate magma chamber system.
“As for the smoke, it appears from time to time; the colour is white, it has no effect because it is influenced by groundwater — it is not an eruption, no. In general, each volcano has its own chamber; its activity depends on its magma chamber,” he explained.
Winds were blowing weakly to moderately towards the north-west, with air temperatures ranging between 15–25 °C and humidity of 52–79 per cent.
Visually, the body of the volcano was clearly visible to covered by haze at levels 0–III, and no smoke was observed emerging from the main crater.
Nevertheless, seismic monitoring results recorded fairly dynamic earthquake activity within the bowels of the earth.
According to records, over the last 24 hours there were 126 hybrid/multi-phase earthquakes with amplitudes of 0.3–5.9 mm and durations of 17.79–65.2 seconds.
There were also 28 low-frequency earthquakes with amplitudes of 0.3–0.8 mm and durations of 12.9–29.9 seconds, plus 19 blowing earthquakes with amplitudes of 0.2–3.3 mm and durations of 30.52–52.2 seconds, as well as one distant tectonic earthquake with an amplitude of 3.2 mm and a duration of 69.1 seconds.