Mount Marapi erupts, ash rises 1,600 Meters above crater on Wednesday
Baku, January 14, AZERTAC
Mount Marapi, located in Agam and Tanah Datar districts in West Sumatra, erupted on Wednesday morning, sending volcanic ash up to 1,600 meters above the crater, according to Antara.
“Mount Marapi erupted at 9:36 a.m., with an ash column observed at around 1,600 meters above the summit,” Ahmad Rifandi, an officer at the Marapi Volcano Observation Post, said in Padang on Wednesday.
According to a report from the observation post, the ash column appeared thick and gray and drifted toward the northeast. The eruption was recorded on a seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 28.6 millimeters and a duration of about 31 seconds.
“The eruption was still ongoing at the time of this report,” Rifandi said.
Mount Marapi is currently on Advisory Status, or Level II. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has issued several recommendations, including prohibiting residents, tourists, and visitors from carrying out activities within a three-kilometer radius of the activity center at Verbeek Crater.
PVMBG also warned of the potential threat of cold lava flows, particularly for communities living along rivers originating from the summit of Mount Marapi.
Such conditions are most commonly observed during the rainy season. In the event of ashfall, residents are advised to wear masks covering the nose and mouth to reduce the risk of respiratory problems.
The volcano observation post (PGA), together with the volcanology center (PVMBG), continues to warn of the accumulation of eruptive material that could be mobilized by rainwater and trigger cold lava floods at any time.
Earlier, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) reported an increase in seismic activity at Mount Marapi between December 16 and 31, 2025.
“Seismic activity at Mount Marapi tended to increase over the past two weeks, particularly near-surface earthquakes,” Acting Head of the Geological Agency Lana Saria said on January 6.
The agency noted that eruption-related earthquakes rose significantly during the period (from 28 to 279), while non-harmonic tremors also increased (from 78 to 132).
Shallow and deep volcanic earthquakes, as well as local tectonic earthquakes, were also recorded at higher levels. Shallow volcanic earthquakes increased from five to 14, deep volcanic earthquakes from 11 to 14, and local tectonic earthquakes from 31 to 54.
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