Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang
Authorities have raised the alert status of Mount Talang in Solok regency, West Sumatra, to the second highest level following increased volcanic activity over the past week.
Contacted by The Jakarta Post on Friday, volcanic observation officer Dalipa Marjusi said his office raised Mount Talang's alert status at 6 p.m. local time on Thursday.
"We heightened its status after it spewed volumes of ash high into the sky and recorded a significant number of tremors," he said.
Dalipa said the intensity of tremors increased following a tectonic quake originating in the Mentawai Islands on Nov. 25.
Since that quake there have been three to 30 tremors daily at Talang, with the local volcanology office detecting eight tremors occurring within 12 hours on Friday.
Talang, which rises 2,597 meters, spewed smoke as high as 1,200 meters at 9:10 a.m. on Tuesday, and 1,000 meters high at 7:45 a.m. the previous day.
"The fumes were still white on Thursday, but have gradually turned black, reaching a height of 700 meters at 7:35 a.m., thus forcing us to heighten the alert status," said Dalipa.
As dark haze covered the volcano's peak on Friday, Dalipa said, preventing his office from monitoring smoke discharges.
"We have asked the Solok regency administration to cordon off a three-kilometer radius around the peak, but have not yet recommended an evacuation," he said.
There are numerous farms located within a three-km radius of the peak.
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