August 31, 2026 | 12:43 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Mount Sinabung in Karo Regency, North Sumatra, spewed thick column of volcanic ash about 3.5 kilometers high above the summit in a violent eruption on Monday morning, August 31, 2026.
Lana Saria, Head of the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, reported in a statement in Jakarta on Monday that the volcano erupted first at 10:17 a.m. Western Indonesian Time (WIB) and is still ongoing.
"The ash column appeared black and thick, tilting towards the east and southeast. This eruption was recorded on a seismogram with a maximum amplitude of 120 mm and a temporary duration of approximately 1 hour, 1 minute, and 48 seconds," she said.
The volcanic activity at Mount Sinabung currently registered at Alert Level II, which prompted the Geological Agency to issue advice for residents and tourists to avoid activities in relocated villages.
Additionally, residents are prohibited from carrying out activities within the danger zone, within a three-kilometer radius from the summit, and within a sectoral radius of 4.5 kilometers in the southeastern region.
Residents living along river basins that originate at Mount Sinabung are also advised to increase their vigilance for the potential danger of cold lava floods.
The Geological Agency has requested that the Karo Regency Government continue to work closely with the Mount Sinabung Observation Post and the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) to monitor the latest volcanic activity.
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