SLEMAN - This morning Mount Merapi as if wakes up from the long sleep after the devastating eruption in 2010. The eruption that happened today was began with an earthquake felt by the people residing in DI Yogyakarta.

Technical Geologist and Hydrogeologist UPN "Veteran" Yogyakarta, Prof. Sari Bahagiarti K, said that she has not been able to answer whether Merapi eruption will be more powerful than before.

"We wait for information from BPPTKG as a monitoring department that focuses to Merapi, because it has already had data," she said, Friday (5/11/2018).

According to the report distributed through a short message from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Magelang District, the eruption that occurred in the morning was an eruption caused by the water contact with magma Phreatic eruption. This eruption consisted mostly of gas or water vapor.

However, according to Sari, the eruption that occurred was magmatic that occured due to the contact between the magma with subsurface water or rock formations that contain lots of water to produce ash and fine volcanic material.

Since the 1960s, the eruptive cycle of Merapi emerged around 2 to 4 years and its power is getting smaller. The eruption type that year was known as the type of Merapi. Then, in 2010 the cycle turned into 4 years with a mixture of strong and palean vulcanian types.

The Vulkanian type is a magmatic eruption composed of basaltic andesite to the dacite, it generally throws a chunk around the crater. The material is not only derived from magma but also mixed with lithic side rocks. The Pelean type resembles a volcanic eruption, except that there is a mixture of lava and high gas levels. During eruption, the lava tends to dilute and flows at high speed so it is very dangerous.

"This eruption is one of them triggered by an earthquake that occurred in the Pacific fire ring some times ago." Said Professor UPNVY UPNVY Mineral Faculty.

Sari who is the Rector of UPNVY appealed to the people around Merapi and nearby not to be panic and always obey the appeal from the authorities.

"UPN has also been working with the government in disaster management training in Merapi area. We hope that the target community can practice it well in case of evacuation, "he said. (Wwj / humas)