Indonesia: Rinjani activity continues 4 May 2009

The eruptive activity at Rinjani volcano on Lombok Island is continuing, according to press reports from Indonesia. Those reports are a little contradictory, with the Jakarta Globe saying that the volcano ‘continued to emit volcanic ash and smoke on Sunday [but] the eruptions were relatively smaller than those on Saturday, authorities said’, while Tempointeraktif has ‘Mount Rinjani closed as eruptions intensify’ and ‘activities escalating since Saturday (2/5) afternoon’. The latter report quotes head Indonesian volcanologist Surono as saying that ‘volcanic ash and smoke’ from Rinjani has reached about 8000 metres, and also has this interesting information:

Mining and Energy office of West Nusa Tenggara Province reported a crater began to form at the eastern slope of the mountain. Heryadi Rahmad from the mining and energy office said the eruptions had not caused terrible impacts ‘but a small crater began to form’ in the eastern part of the mountainous area at Mount Baru Jari.

Barujari (that being the GVP form of the name) is a volcanic cone at the eastern end of the Rinjani caldera which has been the focus of historical eruptive activity – see the satellite image at the Eruptions blog for Rinjani’s interesting summit arrangements. Eruptions from excentric vents (vents cutting into the rim of a pre-existing crater) seem to be typical of Barujari’s eruptive history, and this new ‘small crater’ may be the latest example.

The alert status for Rinjani has not been raised and remains (as of the time of writing) at Orange (Siaga), the second-highest level.

UPDATE 5 May 2009. A new report in the Jakarta Post has Rinjani (Baru Jari) ‘spray[ing] thick ash’ on Sunday, but quotes Heryadi Rahmad of the provincial mining and energy authority as saying that ‘The peak of the activity was on Saturday with four tremors and the eruption of thick ash’. A team from the Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation agency is at Rinjani to monitor the activity, and the national park around the volcano remains closed to visitors.

For all our Indonesia coverage: Indonesia « The Volcanism Blog.

News
No danger in Barujari eruption, officials say – Jakarta Globe, 3 May 2009
Mount Rinjani closed as eruptions intensify – Tempointerkatif.com, 3 May 2009
Mt Baru Jari spews ash – Jakarta Post, 4 May 2009

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Rinjani – summary information for Rinjani (0604-03=)
Pusat Vulkanologi & Mitigasi Bencana Geologi – News and information portal for the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, Indonesia

Alert at Indonesia’s Mt Rinjani 3 May 2009

Indonesia may seem to be having more than its fair share of volcano alerts lately, but given the very large number of volcanoes to be found in that country it probably is actually a fair share. Semeru, Karangetang, Ibu and Slamet are all on the second-highest alert level of Orange (Siaga), while thirteen other volcanoes including Krakatau, Kerinci and Kelud are at the next level of Yellow (Waspada). The latest addition to the latter group is Mt Rinjani on Lombok Island, which has gone to yellow alert following ‘two small explosions’ on Saturday afternoon. The area of the national park surrounding the volcano has been closed to tourists as a safety measure.

Eruptions has more details and background: Yet another Indonesian volcano on alert.

For all our Indonesia coverage: Indonesia « The Volcanism Blog.

News
Mount Rinjani on alert status, closed to tourists – Jakarta Post, 3 May 2009

Information
Global Volcanism Program: Rinjani – summary information for Rinjani (0604-03=)
Pusat Vulkanologi & Mitigasi Bencana Geologi – News and information portal for the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation, Indonesia