Visitors told to stay away as Bandung’s Mount Tangkuban Perahu erupts

Mount Tangkuban Perahu

Mount Tangkuban Perahu in Bandung, West Java, a popular tourist spot in Indonesia, erupted on Friday afternoon, prompting authorities to restrict access to the area.

The volcanic ash soared 200m up from the mountain’s peak, which is about 2,284m above sea level, said the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG). After the eruption, thick grey volcanic ash spread to the south and north-east.

Kawah Ratu, a volcanic crater on Mount Tangkuban Perahu

Being a phreatic eruption, the volcanic activity has taken travellers and residences by surprise as there was no signal prior to the eruption.

At press time, the Mount Tangkuban Perahu tourism complex remains closed as the area has been covered in ashes and cleaning works were carried out over the weekend.

PVMBG updates this morning stated that the closed area now was 500m from the crater, and activities and accommodations in the tourism complex would gradually start operating today.

PVMBG head, Kasbani, however, warned locals, traders and travellers to stay alert for any possible increase in volcanic activities.

“A phreatic eruption could happen at any time without any clear volcanic signals,” he said.

Meanwhile, activities in the Bandung city and surrounding areas as well as the Husein Sastranegara Airport are operating as per normal.

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