Indonesian government raises alert on Slamet volcano in Central Java

The Indonesian Volcanology Center has raised the alert from level II to Level III on Slamet Mountain in Central Java. The Center has set four levels increasing intensity of volcanic activity with level I for the lowest and level IV for the highest. The 3,432-metre Slamet Mountain strato volcano is the second highest volcano in Java after Mount Semeru. It began to spew lava on Wednesday (22nd April 2009) after rising volcanic activity was recorded for over a month. Geographically, it’s located at the position of 7° 14’ 30’’ Latitude and 109° 12’30” Longitude. The closest cities are Purwokerto, Purbalingga and Tegal.

The alert status was raised on the afternoon of Thursday, April 23, 2009, following a number of volcanic quakes, rising hydrothermal temperature, and at least 52 small explosions, indicating the potential for a larger eruption. The Center said that at the moment it was not necessary to evacuate residents around the mountain, but asked the residents to keep alert and be prepared for the possibility of ash fall that may cause upper respiratory tract infections if inhaled. The summit area is closed to any activity.

Update: on May 26, 2009 Indonesian Volcanology Center still maintain Slamet Mt on alert level III, based on deformation data, intensive volcanic tremor, lava, ash and gas explotion.

on June 29, 2009 Indonesian Volcanology Center lower the alert level to level II

Slamet Mt crater (Rob Woodall photography)