Tangkuban Perahu folks prepare for the worst

Tangkuban Perahu folks prepare for the worst

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post/Bandung

Daliah, 30, and her two children have been restless throughout
each night since Wednesday. The same could be said for the
hundreds of other people from Sagalaherang village near Ciater
hot springs tourist site on the slopes of Mount Tangkuban Perahu.

Various home appliances like television sets, tape recorders
and clothing was seen piled up outside the residents' homes.

"I'm afraid to sleep at night because Mount Tangkuban Parahu
can suddenly erupt," said Daliah. She said that she and the
others living on the slopes of the mountain were worried when
they heard the district office's vehicle traveling back and forth
announcing that the volcano, situated south of Subang, had
suddenly shown signs of activity in the early hours of Wednesday.

The sudden increase in activity since Wednesday has resulted
in hundreds of relatively strong tremors compared to its normal
activity of only two to nine very mild tremors per week.

A community figure in Sagalaherang, Sairin, 64, said that the
volcanic activity of Mount Tangkuban Parahu had changed markedly.
"Tremors could usually be felt before, even mild ones, but not
like now," he said.

In 1983, the volcano discharged hot ash that covered the
nearby tea plantation. A similar incident recurred in 1994, which
was followed by mild quakes.

At least 600 vendors selling souvenirs, food and drinks for
local and foreign tourists were evacuated by officials two days
ago. As were the 150 or so tourists who had arrived on Wednesday
morning to view the 2,084-meter mountain and witness the beauty
of its craters, breathe the fresh air and view Bandung city from
its peak.

Mount Tangkuban Parahu is one of the most-visited mountain
tourist areas in the country, with an average of 1,000 tourists
visiting daily.

Meanwhile, Jalan Cagak District Chief near Mount Tangkuban
Perahu, Saad Abdul Gani, said that he had urged residents not to
drink water from the Cileuleuy river, which he determined had
been contaminated by sulfur.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has instructed West Java
Governor Danny Setiawan to pay close attention to the activities
of the mountain, because Bandung will be the host of the Asia-
Africa Conference golden jubilee on April 24.

Head of the Tangkuban Parahu Rapid Action Mitigation team,
Syamsul Rizal, said that residents need not be too worried,
because an alert status was still in effect and the intensity of
the tremors had decreased somewhat on Friday morning to 35
"volcanic A tremors", 159 "volcanic B tremors" and two minor
eruptions.

The frequency has dropped compared to a day earlier when it
recorded 74 volcanic A tremors and 208 volcanic B tremors.

"The thing that we must be wary of is poisonous carbon dioxide
and sulfuric gases, which occurred the last time it erupted,"
said Syamsul.