Tag Archives: Indonesia

Volcano Updates – Mexico, Japan, Indonesia, Alaska

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Eruption Update for May 7, 2012: Popocatépetl, Iliamna, Lokon-Empung and a Pair of Japanese Volcanoes

The plume from Popocatépetl in Mexico seen on May 6, 2012. Webcam capture by Eruptions reader Kirby.

 

Quick updates on current activity at a number of volcanoes while I am mired in grading jail:

Popocatépetl: The Mexican volcano is still churning away (see above). Thus far, most of the activity has been subplinian plumes from the crater area as the new magma rises and fragments, but Mexican officials are not taking any chances. They will be distributing almost half a million dust masks to people living near the volcano if/when a larger explosive eruption occurs that could drop significant ash across much of the area. You can see what is going on at Popocatépetl on the CENAPRED webcams for the volcano.

 

Iliamna: We haven’t heard much from Iliamna in the past month or so after the volcano was downgraded to Yellow Alert status by AVO after a period of increased seismicity and degassing. The seismicity was reported to be back on the upswing at the end of last week according to the Alaska Dispatch (who looks to be getting into the game of webicorder watching). However, this blip (if real) didn’t cause AVO to change the status of Iliamna as the latest update just mentions seismicity at the volcano is “slightly above background”. Iliamna has a webcam as well as a webicorder so you can follow along at home.

Lokon-Empung: Another volcano that has been quite active is Lokon-Empung in Indonesia. Thevolcano had an explosive eruption earlier last week, producing a 2.5 km / 8,200 foot plume. Although evacuations have not been called yet, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) has begun to set up evacuation centers in case the activity increases. Seismicity has been increasing at Lokon-Empung since last week’s eruption, but the alert status (Level III) is unchanged.

Iwo Jima (Ioto): I haven’t been able to find too much in the news about the activity at Japan’s Iwo Jima (Ioto), however Eruptions reader Sherine did find some images of the activity at Iwo Jima, along with images of potential submarine activity at Fukutoku-Okanoba (see below or the top two rows of images on the previous link). As for descriptions, last week’s Global Volcanism Program Weekly Volcanic Activity Report mentions that a new fumarole has opened at Iwo Jima as well.

Slight discoloration of the sea at Fukutoku-Okanoba (bottom right) may suggest eruptive activity. Image taken April 19, 2012 by the Japanese Coast Guard.

from:   http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/05/eruption-update-for-may-7-2012/#more-109484

Merapi Volcano in Indonesia Activity

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Deformation Observed at Indonesia’s Merapi

Merapi in Indonesia seen on December 7, 2011. Image from Yudha Aria / Flickr.

 

I did want to pass along this piece of news I saw this morning on Merapi in Indonesia. Dr. Masako Iguchi from the Disaster Prevention Research Institute at Kyoto University has been studying deformation at Indonesian volcanoes using GPS for the past two years, specifically targeting Merapi, Sinabung and Guntur. Of those three, it looks like Merapi has already entered in a cycle of inflation after the impressive (and deadly) eruptions of 2010. Sadly, the article in the Jakarta Post does not offer any sense of magnitude of the inflation, but Dr. Iguchi does say that Merapi appears to experience rapid inflation before a new eruptive cycle begins. In other Merapi news, Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and the National Space and Aviation Agency (Lapan) released images of the summit area of Merapi taken by a styrofoam drone – one of the first uses of drones to image active volcanoes that I’ve seen. The images from the drone that feel ~400 meters above the summit will be used to create a 3D map of the volcano. I’ll keep my eyes peeled for more news on Merapi.

from:    http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/category/eruptions/

Earthquake Papua, Indonesia

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Slightly damaging earthquake in Papua (former Irian Jaya), Indonesia

Last update: April 21, 2012 at 11:57 am by By 

Earthquake overview : A very shallow earthquake 10 km out of the Irian Jaya coast, Indonesia has scared people who are not panicking for a little shaking, as earthquakes are almost common as bad weather in this area of the world.

Green radius = strong shaking; yellow radius = very strong shaking, severe shaking too small to fit on this map

Most important Earthquake Data:
Magnitude : Mw6.6
UTC Time : Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 01:16:52 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 10:16:52 AM at epicenter
Depth (Hypocenter) : 16 km (9.9 miles)
Geo-location(s) :
10 km SE from Ransiki, Papua, Indonesia
83 km (51 miles) SSE of Manokwari, Papua, Indonesia

– Update 11:23 UTC:  It has been reported that the quake caused a bridge connecting the Ransiki-Manokwari to have minor damage. A total of 10 houses damaged moderately, and dozens of others were slightly damaged.

– Update 11:03 UTC
* As usual the local media are always focusing more on the bigger cities in the area, in this case Manokwari. In Manokwari people are saying that the strong shaking only lasted 3 seconds. People rushed out of the buildings. There was no news of any damage or injuries at Manokwari.

– The biggest city in the area is Manokwari who has experienced a strong MMI VI shaking. Manokwari has a population of 53,000 people.

– The fault who generated the earthquake is called “Ransiki fault”.  Both sides of the fault are moving approx. 8.5 mm/year.

– Local BMKG is reporting a Magnitude of 6.8 at a depth of 10 km (bot stronger than reported by USGS)

– Modified Mercalli Shaking Intensities : 4,000 people : Severe VIII shaking, 8,000 people : Very strong VII shaking and 169,000 people VI strong shaking.

– GDACS has calculated that the following locations might get waves of max. 0.2 meter (not a real tsunami but only strong current and waves)  :  Rapaowi, Ransiki, Jali Ali, Sisember and Robookisbia

– 160,000 people are living within a radius of 100 km. The repartition of the population is as follows :
75 km     29000 people;  50 km     16000 people; 20 km     5200 people and 10 km     less than 1000 people
Earthquake-report.com calls an area of 25 km at risk (about 7000 people – number based on GDACS data) for serious damage and injuries.

Ransiki town / village – only approx. 10 km from the epicenter – image courtesy Toto Purwanto

– Oransbari and Ransiki are 2 villages located in a radius of 25 km around the epicenter. Especially this area will get the greatest shaking impact. Based on satellite images, Ransiki seems to have a STOL airport (short take off and landing)

– The earthquake is somewhat weakened because of an epicenter just out in the sea

– Due to the Magnitude and the close distance to the beach, NOAA has published the following Tsunami statement for the Pacific region :
NO DESTRUCTIVE WIDESPREAD TSUNAMI THREAT EXISTS BASED ON HISTORICAL EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI DATA.
HOWEVER
EARTHQUAKES OF THIS SIZE SOMETIMES GENERATE LOCAL TSUNAMIS THAT CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE ALONG COASTS LOCATED WITHIN A HUNDRED KILOMETERS OF THE EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER. AUTHORITIES  IN THE REGION OF THE EPICENTER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS POSSIBILITY AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION   

http://earthquake-report.com/2012/04/21/slightly-damaging-earthquake-in-papua-former-irian-jaya-indonesia/

 

 

 

Indonesia Earthquake near Bengkulu

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Ml5.9 earthquake hits Indonesia close to Bengkulu – damaged houses

Last update: February 1, 2012 at 10:47 am by By 

 

Earthquake Shakemap (Courtesy: BMKG, Indonesia)

Earthquake overview :

BMKG is reporting a moderate depth earthquake of magnitude 5.9 (29km deep according to BMKG, 69km deep according to USGS) near Bengkulu in Indonesia.

UPDATE:  A number of damaged buildings occurred including the buildings of the Regional Investment Coordinating Board (BKPMD) Bengkulu province and the building Indonesia Journalists Association (PWI) Bengkulu.

Walls of two other buildings were cracked. The earthquake also made a collapsed the roofs of a number of houses. “The roof of my house collapsed due to earthquake. There are also some sections of the wall which cracked,” said Sido Mulyo Village residents, the city of Bengkulu.

UPDATE: The shock of the earthquake was strong enough to make most of the citizens of the cities of Bengkulu and Mukomuko jump and run out of the house to save themselves. It has caused much panic. In the city of Bengkulu, picture frames and paintings have fallen. A citizen of Mukomuko reported that the earthquake shaking was felt strongly and was of short duration.

UPDATE: There is currently no damage data coming out of Indonesia but it has been felt in Bengkulu. The hypocenter was offshore.

UPDATE: There is currently a large difference between hypocenters from various agencies. The Indonesian data gives the most chance of damage in Bengkulu.

Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : 5.6Mb (USGS), 5.3Mw (GEOFON), 5.9Ml (BMKG)
UTC Time : Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 07:14:27 UTC
Local time at epicenter : Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 14:14:27 UTC
Depth (hypocenter) : 69km (USGS), 71km (GEOFON), 29km (BMKG)
Geo-location(s) : 30 km KOTA-BENGKULU, 34 km KEPAHIANG-BENGKULU , 42 km SELUMA-BENGKULU , 34 km BENGKULU-BENGKULU , 588 km BaratLaut JAKARTA-INDONESIA

for updates and more information, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/02/01/ml5-9-earthquake-hits-indonesia-close-to-bengkulu/

Mt. Merapi Hazard Analysis & Volcano Status Report

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Hazard map assessment of Mount Merapi, Central Java, Indonesia using remote sensing

Last update: January 11, 2012 at 1:37 pm by By 

Author : David Harris, IGES department, Aberystwyth University, Wales

Abstract
As the global population is predicted to reach 7 billion people by 2012, land pressures and rapid population growth is resulting in many more communities living within danger zones of natural hazards, a pattern particularly seen around volcanoes. This thesis will emphasise the impact of volcanoes on populations using the example of Mount Merapi, Indonesia. Mount Merapi is the most active volcano in Java and has persistent minor eruptions, but according to volcanologists Mount Merapi is heavily overdue a large-scale eruption which could potentially put over 1.1 million people at risk. This thesis begins with a review of published papers and a description of Mount Merapi’s geological history, with a particular focus on its recent eruptions. To better assess Mount Merapi’s threat to the communities that are in close proximity to the summit the thesis uses GIS software to produce a risk map. The risk map is then used as a basis for further analysis on the potential impact in the event of a major eruption. The thesis specifically examines the risk on the basis of current population (e.g. Kemiren, a town with 103,777 people at a risk value site of 10.5) and social vulnerability (e.g. Ngablak, which has a Social Vulnerability Index value of 0.5 – 1.5 and a risk value varying between 7.5 and 28.5). Lastly, the thesis considers the impact of Merapi’s most recent eruptions in October and November 2010 and recommends some considerations for the future in terms of risk reduction by changes in response times and evacuation procedures.

for the complete analysis, including surveys of the location of volcanoes relative to large population areas, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/01/11/hazard-map-assessment-of-mount-merapi-central-java-indonesia-using-remote-sensing/

Indonesia Earthquake 1/10

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Massive earthquake out of the coast of Northern Sumatra, Indonesia – Tsunami alert lifted

Last update: January 11, 2012 at 8:22 am by By 

January 10, 2012 By 

Earthquake overview : A massive earthquake occurred several hundred km out of the Sumatra Banda Aceh coast. Theoretical calculations concluded that no widespread tsunami would occur in the Pacific Ocean. Indonesian authorities have however called a tsunami alert for many areas in Sumatra.

A WISE TSUNAMI ADVICE in case you are living or traveling to an earthquake rich area of the world and are residing close to the coast :  EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY TO HIGHER GROUNDS (10 to 30 meters higher than sea level) IF :

– strong shaking goes on for 30 seconds or longer
– the authorities are calling for an evacuation
– you see a fast unusual retreating sea

Triggers of today’s massive earthquake :
The January 10, 2012 earthquake off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia, occurred as a result of strike-slip faulting within the oceanic lithosphere of the Indo-Australia plate, approximately 100 km to the southwest of the major subduction zone that defines the plate boundary between the Indo-Australia and Sunda plates offshore Sumatra. At the location of this earthquake, the Indo-Australia plate moves north-northeast with respect to the Sunda plate at a velocity of approximately 52 mm/yr.
While they are rare, large strike-slip earthquakes are not unprecedented in this region of the Indo-Australian plate. Since the massive M 9.1 earthquake that ruptured a 1300 km long segment of the Sumatran megathrust plate boundary in December of 2004, two Mw 6.2 strike-slip events have occurred within 50 km of the January 10 2012 event, on April 19 2006, and October 4 2007. These events seem to align with fabric of the sea floor in the diffuse boundary zone between the Indian and Australian plates. (summary as described by USGS)

Update : At midnight UTC,  4 aftershocks ranging from 4.8 to 4.9 have been listed by USGS.

Update : The tsunami alert was maintained longer at Simeulue  island (Aceh province) as this island was closest to the epicenter. Although Simeulue was not indicated as a place at risk by the GDACS simulation, authorities do not want to take any risk.

Important update : Indonesian authorities have lifted the earlier called Tsunami alert. People in Banda Aceh reported a retreating sea after the earthquake occurred, just like it happened in 2004 during the devastating tsunami who killed more than 200,000 people.  Luckily no reports about any serious waves so far.

Update : We know from earlier experiences in Indonesia that local people often do not trust the authoritiesand remain in safe locations even if the authorities ask them to return to their house and pick up their daily life. Additionally, rumors are often spread that an even heavier earthquake and tsunami will be triggered. Rumors are one of the major problems after earthquakes.

Update : Indonesian media are reporting that BMKG, the local Indonesian seismological agency, has lowered the magnitude from 7.6 to 7.1. BMKG triggered an early warning tsunami alert to the local agencies. BMKG received reports that people fled their houses almost automatically for a safe location. No reports as yet from the real wave heights. People have been asked to stay in the safe places for a longer time and not to return to heir houses to soon.

Update : A lot of panic amongst the Sumatra population when they felt the earthquake and when the tsunami sirens went off.

Red bullets are indicating Tsunami alert from the Indonesian authorities

Update : MetroTV Indonesia is one of the only channels reporting on the earthquake and potential tsunami risk. The image at right shows where the Indonesian authorities have called a tsunami alarm for the coastal areas.

Update : Based on the GDACS data, the time that the waves may have reached Simeulue and Northern Sumatra is over now.  We expect final experience reports soon.

Update : We still cannot reach BMKG, the Indonesian seismological agency via the Internet due to too heavy demand.  This happened also in the USA during the Virginia earthquake (USGS).

Update : If all theoretical data will be confirmed, this was a LUCKY ESCAPE, but this earthquake will have send vibrations of fear through the population of Northern Sumatra.

Update : The GDCAS image below shows very well the propagation of the tsunami wave from the epicenter versus the northern part of Sumatra, including Banda Aceh.  GDACS has calculated based on historical earthquakes and lots of additional data, that the waves in Northern Sumatra will be max. 0.4 meter

Tsunami wave distribution and height – Image courtesy GDACS

Update : Indonesian media are currently reporting a SR magnitude of 7.6
A TSUNAMI ALERT has been called by the local BMKG for parts of the country (unclear at this moment, but certainly the islands and Sumatra, including Banda Aceh). Our experience is that people in Indonesia are mostly not waiting for an alert but are auto-evacuating when a strong shaking for more than 30 second occurs.
Indonesian media are only reporting earthquake numbers , no background information yet

Fault line west of the Sumatra coast

Update : Magnitudes and depths as calculated by other seismological agencies :
EMSC : M 7.3 @ 10 km
GEOFON (Germany) : M 7.1 @ 10 km
CEN (China) : M 7.2 @ 20 km

for more information and updates, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2012/01/10/very-strong-to-massive-earthquake-out-of-the-coast-of-northern-sumatra-indonesia/

Nature’s Mimicry

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Fish Mimics Octopus That Mimics Fish

ScienceDaily (Jan. 4, 2012) — Nature’s game of intimidation and imitation comes full circle in the waters of Indonesia, where scientists have recorded for the first time an association between the black-marble jawfish (Stalix cf. histrio) and the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus),

Undescribed by scientists until 1998, the talented mimic octopus is known to impersonate toxic flatfish, lionfish, and even sea snakes by creatively configuring its limbs, adopting characteristic undulating movements, and displaying bold brown-and-white color patterns. Thanks to these brazen habits, it can swim in the open with relatively little fear of predators.

The jawfish, on the other hand, is a small and timid fish. It spends most of its adult life close to a sand burrow, where it will quickly retreat upon sighting a predator.

During a diving trip in Indonesia in July 2011, Godehard Kopp of the University of Gottingen, Germany, filmed an unexpected pairing between the two animals. Like a lackey clinging on to the big man on campus, the black-marble jawfish was seen closely following a mimic octopus as it moved across the sandy bottom. The jawfish had brown-and-white markings similar to the octopus, and was difficult to spot among the many arms. The octopus, for its part, did not seem to notice or care.

Kopp sent the video to Rich Ross and Luiz Rocha of the California Academy of Sciences, who identified the jawfish species. Since this association had not been recorded before, they published their observations online last month in the scientific journal Coral Reefs. The authors surmise that the jawfish hitches a ride with the octopus for protection, allowing it to venture away from its burrow to look for food — a case of “opportunistic mimicry.”

“This is a unique case in the reefs not only because the model for the jawfish is a mimic itself, but also because this is the first case of a jawfish involved in mimicry,” said Dr. Luiz Rocha, assistant curator of ichthyology at the California Academy of Sciences. “Unfortunately, reefs in the Coral Triangle area of southeast Asia are rapidly declining mostly due to harmful human activities, and we may lose species involved in unique interactions like this even before we get to know them.”

Octopus-jawfish video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4kZAgny5eg

from:    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120104153747.htm

Girl Finds Family 7 Years After Tsunami Took Her

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Indonesia Tsunami Survivor Returns To Home After 7 Years

By FAKHRURRADZIE GADE   12/23/11 10:55 AM ET   AP

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia — A girl who was swept away in the Indian Ocean tsunami seven years ago said Friday she broke down in tears this week after tracking down her parents, who had long lost hope of finding her alive.

The 15-year-old showed up in Aceh province’s hard-hit town of Meulaboh earlier this week, saying that not long after the wave hit she was “adopted” by a woman who called her Wati and forced her to beg, sometimes beating her and keeping her in the streets until 1 a.m.

When the teen stopped bringing in money, she was told, “Go ahead, leave … go find your parents then, they’re in Meulaboh.”

With only patchy memories about her past – she was only 8 when the tsunami hit, an age where most children don’t know their relatives’ full names – Wati began her search, telling people she thought her grandfather was “Ibrahim.”

She met a pedicab driver in Meulaboh, who brought her to a man by that name. Though she didn’t look familiar, he, in turn, quickly summoned her parents.

“When I saw my mother, I knew it was her,” said the wide-eyed girl, her hair cropped close to her head. “I just knew.”

The family, who say the girl’s original name is Meri Yuranda, is also now convinced.

The Dec. 26, 2004, tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen nations hit Aceh – closest to the epicenter of the magnitude-9.1 quake that spawned the towering waves – the hardest.

With tens of thousands of bodies washed to sea in that province alone, many families continue to cling to hope of finding lost loved ones. Reunions, however, are rare. And all announced in the last five years have turned out to be untrue. Even so, some mothers continue to believe a child is theirs even after DNA tests prove otherwise.

Either way, without any challenges to the claims, Wati now has a family.

Yusniar binti Ibrahim Nur, the mother, told The Associated Press she had all the evidence she needed.

“She has her father’s face,” the 35-year-old woman said by telephone. “And when I saw the scar over her eye and mole on her hip, I was even more sure.”

It doesn’t worry her, she said, that the girl and her husband have different accounts of what happened on the day the tsunami hit their tiny village of Ujong Baroh just outside of Meulaboh.

Wati remembers her father putting her into a boat with her younger sister, long presumed dead as well, and then getting separated. She says she remembers being surrounded by water and crying.

Her father says he put both of his daughters on the roof of their house hoping they’d be safe.

“Maybe she fell into the boat, maybe someone helped her. I just don’t know,” said Yusniar.

“I just thank God my prayers have been answered,” she said. “For years, I searched everywhere. I’d really given up.”

from:    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/23/indonesia-girl-back-with-_0_n_1167350.html?ref=impact

Indonesian Gamalama Volcano Erupts

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Eruption of the Gamalama volcano, Ternate, Indonesia

Last update: December 5, 2011 at 3:47 pm by By 

Panoramio picture of the Gamalama volcano, Ternate – courtesy Travel Photography

Panoramio picture of the Gamalama volcano, Ternate – courtesy Travel Photography

On December 05 at 00:08 local time, Mount Gamalama has erupted and spewed lava and ash on a town in eastern Indonesia, prompting thousands of residents to flee. A scientist monitoring the volcano, says the eruption has caused panic on the island.

Update 05/12 – 12:25 UTC
– The Indonesian authorities are maintaining the current alert level on Siaga
– The latest bulletin of VAAC (Volcanic Ash Advisory ) is mentioning the eruption but has no specific ash cloud radius due to the bad weather (cloud). VAAC says the the volcano plume rose 1500 ft above the crater (approx. 500 meter)

Update 05/12 – 11:00 UTC :  Disturbing Images of the Indonesian TV are showing people running away from there houses and ash flooding in villages. The weather is really bad in the area and actual footage of the eruption itself is not yet published.
– People are advised to wear masks as it is raining ash.
– The airport has been closed
– The volcano is in the second highest state of alert (Siaga or Level 3) since December 4, 2011
– Some people choose to evacuate to the neighboring island of Tidore
– Last eruption of the Gamalama volcano occurred in 2003

Historic eruptions of the Gamalama volcano (Gunung Gamalama)

Data from James Daniell Volcano CATDAT

for more, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/12/05/eruption-of-the-gamalama-volcano-ternate-indonesia/

Central Indonesian Volcano Eruption

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Mount Lokon Volcano Erupts In Central Indonesia, No Injuries Reported

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A volcano in central Indonesia has erupted, spewing hot smoke and ash thousands of feet into the air. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Mount Lokon, located on northern Sulawesi island, had been dormant for years before rumbling back to life several months ago.

Surono, a government volcanologist who uses only one name, says it unleashed two strong eruptions at 5:19 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

They were preceded by several smaller blasts hours earlier.

Mount Lokon is one of about 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 240 million people. Its last major eruption in 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.

from:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/26/mount-lokon-volcano-erupts-indonesia_n_1032303.html.