The Jakarta Post, National | Sun, 01/04/2009 6:56 PM
The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Relief Body in Bandung announced on Sunday that Mount Dempo in Pagar Alam, South Sumatra was on alert status following increased activity in the mountain.
“There has been a phreatic explosion recorded,” said Surono, head of the institution, as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.
Phreatic eruptions are generally caused by by explosive expanding steam resulting from cold ground or surface water coming into contact with hot rock or magma.
Surono said the eruption occur on Jan. 1, at 10:51. Explosion of water, mud and ashes sent hikers, who were celebrating the New Year's Eve on nearby hills, running and leaving their belonging behind. Ash rain hit areas up to 10 kilometer from the mountain.
Dempo is a stratovolcano that rises 3,159 meters above the sea level. Seven craters sit around the summit. A 400-meter wide lake at the northwest end of the crater complex holds around 80 million cubic meter of water. (dre)
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