Indonesia’s Mount Tangkuban Perahu volcano shaken by three eruptions: alert level raised

October 7, 2013 – INDONESIA – Indonesia’s volcanology center issued an alert for Mount Tangkuban Perahu as the volcano rumbled to life on Saturday, erupting three times and triggering minor earthquakes in Lembang subdistrict over the weekend. The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG) raised the status of the volcano from normal — the lowest level — to waspada (alert) on Saturday morning. The agency’s four warning levels run from normal to awas (danger) with waspada as the first warning above normal. Volcanologists said they would keep an eye on the volcano as the tremors continued. “We’ll kept watching out for quake signals from under the crater before we decide if we should raise the alert level further,” PVMBG official Gede Suandika told Indonesian news portal tribunnews.com on Monday. People were banned from a 1.5-radius around the volcano’s crater — a regular tourist draw in Lembang subdistrict. The PVMBG has not recommended an evacuation. “Residents around Mount Tangkuban Perahu are urged to stay calm and keep doing their activities as usual and not be provoked by issues related to Mount Tangkuban Perahu’s eruptions,” the PVMBG said on its website, adding ” but they are also expected to keep paying attention to developments on [the volcano’s] activities listed by the local BPBD [Disaster Mitigation Agency] and follow its instructions.” The volcano, which lies on the outskirts of Bandung, West Java, last erupted in March, but the activity was minor. Tourists were banned from the crater and vendors were told to move. –Jakarta Globe

Unrest at NZ White Island volcano: The latest report of GNS/GeoNet comments on the recently increased tremor amplitude and mentions that a small steam eruption occurred on 4 October, but does not think a larger eruption is on its way. “Volcanic unrest continues at White Island (Whakāri). Volcanic tremor levels have remained slightly elevated since the eruption on 20 August. A further small energetic steam venting event occurred on 4 October around 4.30 pm. This generated a steam plume above the island that was seen from the mainland. The Volcanic Alert Level remains at 1 and the Aviation Colour Code at Green.” –Volcano Discovery