Agam: Mount Marapi in West Sumatra Province erupted three times and released booming and roaring sounds on Saturday (January 6) evening, a local village chief confirmed.
“Last night at around 8:45 p.m., at least three loud bangs were heard. Our villagers witnessed reddish light coming out from the crater at Marapi’s peak,” Bukit Batubuah Village Chief Firdaus remarked in Agam District on Sunday.
Firdaus noted that the eruption was followed by flaming sparks in addition to long-lasting loud sounds.
“The roaring sounds lasted for approximately 10 minutes. Some villagers even felt earthquake-resembling tremors while the sounds were roaring. The tremors made our house doors shake. As the village chief, I am afraid of any eruption recurrence that threatens the villagers,” he said.
He added that he would continue to urge his people to remain vigilant, especially those residing right at the foothills of the volcano.
Meanwhile, a local volcano observation officer Teguh Purnomo noted that since early December last year, Mount Marapi has erupted more than 100 times.
“Since December 3 until today, a total of 113 eruptions have been recorded, with 107 occurring in December 2023 and six in 2024, including three on Saturday,” Purnomo informed.
He appealed to people residing near Mount Marapi to remain calm since the volcano’s status still stands at the alert level, meaning they are still allowed to do outdoor activities at a safe radius while boosting vigilance.
“We would like to appeal to people to not conduct outdoor activities in the vicinity of the crater, or within a radius of three kilometers. Do not spread hoaxes and be provoked by unconfirmed narratives,” he addressed local people.
