Mount Sinabung Eruption Isolates Villages in Karo

Medan, N Sumatra (Antara) - A number of villages in Namanteran Subdistrict, Karo District, North Sumatra, are now isolated as vehicles are hampered to reach the areas due to volcanic ash from Mount Sinabung eruption that blocks access roads. Head of the Information Data and Public Relations of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Sutop Purwo Nugroho said in a text message to Antara here on Saturday the volcanic ash became mud when rain fell so that vehicles faced difficulties in passing on the roads. He said Mt Sinabung's volcanic tremors were still high, expressing fear that the mount would erupt again. On Saturday, Mt Sinabung erupted several times belching volcanic materials with varied height up to 5km. It was accompanied with hot clouds moving to the southeastern and southern directions at a distance of of about 4.5 km and to the eastern direction at a distance of one km. Sutopo Purwo Nugroho stated in a text message last Monday that the volcanic activity of Mount Sinabung had increased the previous day on Sunday, January 5, erupting 106 times. Besides the eruption, Sutopo added, the volcanic activity of Mount Sinabung had also caused 1,545 times of hybrid quakes and produced hot clouds 426 times. The number of hybrid earthquakes had increased, creating a lava dome on the volcano. Even the lava dome was seen and had started melting at 500 meters east of the crater. Sutopo pointed out that if the lava under the dome was still there, then the hot clouds will also continue spreading, which eventually spread toward the east. The mountain also spewed around 2 to 6 centimeters of materials at a length of more than 5 kilometers. The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center has been monitoring the volcano's eruption and has reported the development of the volcanic activities to the BNPB, the North Sumatra Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) and the Karo authorities. The current emergency status of Mount Sinabung is at the fourth level or "Warning" status, which bans local villagers from doing any activities within the radius of five kilometers from the volcano's crater. BNPB has asked the residents around Mount Sinabung to keep alert and obey the mitigation instruction from the officials in the area. (*)