Indonesia Volcano Sees Thousands of Tremors

VIVAnews - The seismic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau that lies in the Sunda Strait reached a thousand times, whereas earlier it is only about 200 times prior to the eruption.

"This time its activity is very high compared to the activity ahead of the eruption in the years earlier," said Head of Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation (PVMBG), Surono, when talking to VIVAnews on Tuesday.

"It is relatively high, normally in one day the quake occurs less than 200 times. This time it’s six thousand earthquakes a day."

According to him, Anak Krakatau is a volcano whose eruption phase is very short. "Since 2007 the pause was brief. In July 2011 an eruption occurred although the intensity was lower. Then the activity was relatively in hiatus. While in mid-September, it has increased again," he said.

Despite the high seismic activity of Mount Anak Krakatau, Surono could not be sure whether it will climax in a major eruption. "The activity is remarkable. But we cannot be sure whether or not there will be a big eruption. Very high activity does not mean a large eruption will occur," he said.

"In the past, Merapi's seismic activity was low, but the eruption was enormous. Papandayan’s activity tripled from 2002, but did not erupt. This is the nature that we forecast."