No. 35/MC.TDBM/11/2010

PRESS RELEASE

No. 35/MC.TDBM/11/2010

DR. Surono: Face Merapi With Strategies and Happy Ending

Yogyakarta, 11/16/2010 (Media Center Kominfo, 18:00) - The Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG), Doctor Surono said it required strategies to deal with the eruption of Mount Merapi, in order to prevent more casualties.

"Faced with this, we are marathon not sprint. We must set the strategy and energy. I want happy endings later to occur of the active Merapi activity, "he told reporters at the Media Center Disaster Emergency Response at Jalan Kenari 14a in Yogyakarta, on Tuesday (16/11).

According to Surono, known as Mount Doctor, the activities of Mount Merapi still need to watch out though safe zone radius of 20 km from the topof Merapi has been shifted to 10-15 km in different districts on the slopes of Merapi.

In just described, the current activities of Merapi when viewed in the graph rather than decreased. Although it looks like a quiet but activity increases.

Since 11 November recorded that only one-time activity, increases in a row 6 times on 12 November, 26 times on 13 November, 31 times on 14 November and 34 times on 15 November.

"the Merapi is quiet but immerses. At times its activity can be unpredictable, "he said.

According to him, to this day Merapi continue erupted only from the south, so that from Yogyakarta can not be observed visually. But the activity of Merapi can be observed and felt from the region around the west or east especially in the District Muntilan and Magelang.

Conditions of Merapi is still in status AWAS. Tremors or vibrations from Mount Merapi activity is still increasing. Lowering the status from AWAS to WASPADA is not easy because it requires analysis acumen, confidence and calculations based on the observed data.

"Determining the status of Merapi is almost the same as a doctor. We checked his heart rate, blood pressure, mouth, eyes and other. All of the parameters exists ".

It takes a precise assessment of how to examine the activity of Merapi like the explotion, fast or slow release of the eruptions, how much gas pressure, and others.

Therefore, Surono admitted, better to determine the status AWAS though not explode or did not erupt at all rather than determine the WASPADA status of Merapi but unexpectedly it erupted after seeing the activity like a quiet but not yet.

This will result in more casualties because at that moment people who thought it was already safe will become panic ang the evacuation process will not prepared

"Therefore, there is no guarantee that visual observation will absolutely correct that the Merapi activity declined. So people must be patient. Because it Merapi’s will that we have to followed".

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