Volcanic activity threatens festival

Volcanic activity threatens festival

BANDUNG: The Volcanology and Disaster Mitigation Directorate
warned that the upcoming Krakatau Festival should not be held at
Mount Anak Krakatau in the Sunda Straits as the area had been
declared a danger zone, following volcanic activity recorded on
July 15.

Ade Djumarna, the head of the directorate, said that Anak
Krakatau had spewed gas and dust from its crater and that the
frequency of tremors in nearby areas had increased.

"There were 11 tremors last week."

The directorate suggested that the festival, scheduled for
Aug. 27, be held on one of several small islands over 3.5
kilometers from Mount Anak Krakatau.

Ade cited three islands that would make an ideal location for
the festival were Rakata, Sertung and Panjang islands.

"We estimate that if an eruption occurs, the volcanic ash
spewed by the crater could reach about 500 meters from the
center," he said.

The festival, which usually attracts a large number of foreign
tourists, is held to observe the tremendous eruption of Krakatau,
which took the lives of 36,000 people on Aug. 27, 1883. The
volcanic ash spewed from its crater reached about 90 km above sea
level.

The directorate has also declared an alert status for
locations around Mount Merapi in Central Java, Mount Semeru and
Mount Ijen in East Java, and Mount Pohan, Mount Karang Etang and
Mount Soputan in North Sulawesi. (25)