Jakarta (VNA) – The Merapiand Agung volcanoes in Indonesia emitted incandescent lava on May 31, with asliding distance of 870 m and an ash column of 2,000 m, respectively.

Hanik Humaida, head of Indonesia’sGeological Disaster Research and Development Centre (BPPTKG), noted that camerasmonitoring the lava avalanches indicated that it was flowing upstream of Gendolriver.

Mount Merapi is located on the borderbetween Yogyakarta and Central Java.

According to visual observations,smoke from the crater was visibly white and of thin to moderate intensity, rising30 m above the crater's peak.

Moreover, the BPPTKG reported fourearthquakes – two of low-frequency and two multi-phase earthquakes.

The BPPTKG has maintained the statusof Mount Merapi at Level II and has advised against conducting climbingactivities apart from those for disaster mitigation-related investigation andresearch.

The BPPTKG has called on residents torefrain from conducting activities within a 3 km radius of Mount Merapi'ssummit.

The BPPTKG has appealed to thoseresiding around the Gendol river to step up vigil over the extent to which thehot clouds from Merapi will dissipate.

Moreover, the community was urged tonot be incited by issues pertaining to Mount Merapi's eruption, and continue tofollow the directions of local government officials or relevant agencies.

Meanwhile, Mount Agung, about 70 km fromthe tourist spot Kuta on the resort island of Bali, erupted at midday on May 31.However, the eruption did not force any cancellation of flights in Baliinternational airport.

The status of Mount Agung also stayedat Level II, while local people and tourists were warned against coming to areaswithin a 4 km radius from the volcano’s crater.

In June 2018, Mount Agung’s eruptionscaused the cancellation of about 300 flights, affecting more than 27,000passengers.

Five months later, the volcano spewedan ash column of 2,500 m, resulting in the temporary closure of Bali’s airportand losses of up to 660 million USD for the island’s tourism sector.

Indonesia,one of the most disaster-prone nations on earth, straddles the Pacific"Ring of Fire", where tectonic plates collide and a large portion ofthe world’s volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur. 

During2018, a total of 11,577 earthquakes had struck the country, many of whichresulted in grave casualties. –VNA