[Indonesia Report] Number of Indonesia volcanoes in alert

At the time of Mount Merapi's eruption in 2010, the residents fled with whatever transportation was available (Photo:www.bbc.co.uk)

Indonesian Disaster Management Agency (BNPT) released a report on the list of Indonesia’s volcanic mountains on alert, saying that there were 22 volcanic mountains that are in standby and cautious status.

Five volcanoes are in cautious status and 17 others are in standby status.

BNPT categorized its alert status on three levels which is standby, cautious and the highest.

The five volcanoes in BNPT’s cautious list are Mt. Saputan (South Minahasa, North Sulawesi), Mt. Lokon (Tomohon, North Sulawesi), Mt. Karangetang (North Sulawesi), Mt. Gamkonora (North Halmahera, North Maluku), and Mt. Ijen (East Java).

Some of the mountains in standby status are Mt. Tangkuban Perahu and Mt. Papandayan in West Java and Mt. Semeru in East Java.

In Mount Merapi’s, one of Indonesia most active volcano, eruption in 2010, more than 300 people were killed, according to CNN report.

Mt. Merapi is located in the north of Jogjakarta in Java Island, Indonesia, which is one of world’s most densely populated areas.

When Mount Merapi erupted in 1930, about 1,300 people died.

According to a report in 2011 by Antara News, Indonesian public mass media, the volcanoes in Indonesia are among the most active of the Pacific Ring of Fire. They are formed due to subduction zones of three main active tectonic plates namely the Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate, and the Indo-Australian Plate.

The report said that all corners of the Indonesian archipelago including North Sulawesi Province are prone to disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, floods and tsunamis, according to Syamsul Maarif, head of the National Disaster Management Agency.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur in the basin of the Pacific Ocean.

Meidyana Rayana Intern Reporter news@theasian.asia