Restive Mount Bromo remains off-limits

PROBOLINGGO, East Java: Mount Bromo remained closed to the public on Thursday after an eruption last week that killed two tourists, including a Singaporean.

"The Bromo area is off-limits for one kilometer from the core zone because volcanic activity alert there is still in effect," local volcanologist Yusep Hidayat said.

Despite the closure, foreign tourists, including some from France, continued to arrive at hotels near Bromo. However, the number of domestic visitors has declined since the eruption.

Separately, the Indonesian Mitra Alam Foundation (YMAI) has conducted a survey on the mountain to assess the environmental damage caused by the eruption. -- JP