There are 22 craters in Dieng and Sileri is not even the most dangerous one.
4 Juli 2017 14:05
The Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) spokesperson Agus Budianto said there are other craters that we need to watch out for in Mount Dieng area, Central Java.
There are 22 craters in Dieng and the most dangerous one is Kawah Timbang, he said after a press conference in The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Different from Sileri crater, Timbang crater is in the form of fracture which only has gas such as carbon dioxide and sulfide acid but has no water.
Though it is dangerous, Agus admitted the agency cannot predict the craters activities, but the agency will continuously monitor Timbang craters status so they can always warn visitors should there be a risk of eruption.
Timbang crater has periods of increased and decreased risk of eruption. We monitor the fluctuation, he said to Antara.
Besides Timbang crater, there are 22 other main craters including Sinila and Sikidang located in Dieng area.
Sileri is the one that often [erupts] according to its historical records and characteristics. He added.
On Sunday at 11.54 a.m, phreatic eruption occurred in Sileri crater in which 50-meter-tall mug erupted to the north, south, and towards the water park.
Seventeen tourists were injured and sent to hospital after standing only 20 meters from the crater edge.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has recommended visitors to stay at least 100 meters away from the crater lip since April 2017.
Before the eruption on Sunday, phreatic eruptions had occurred in Sileri on April 30 and May 24.
