Nature Disaster 4.doc

Mount Anak Krakatau

Mount Anak Krakatau, which had been on Alert level since Dec. 27, erupted on Dec. 22 last year. The eruption was a contributing factor of a tsunami hitting Banten and Lampung on the same day.

The tsunami, reaching as high as 3 meters according to the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), was caused by an abnormal tidal wave surge due to a full moon and an underwater landslide following the eruption of Anak Krakatau Volcano. According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), at least 426 people died, and 23 others were lost during the disaster.

The latest eruption also shrunk the volcano to almost a third its original height, from 338 m to 110 m.

Save what’s left: Police personnel help residents collect pieces of a collapsed house at Carita Beach in Pandeglang, Banten, on Wednesday. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) reported that the tsunami, which was triggered by eruptions from Anak Krakatau, left 430 people dead, 1,495 injured, 159 missing and 21,991 displaced. (The Jakarta Post/Dhoni Setiawan )

The PVMBG concluded on Dec. 30 that the eruption of Mount Anak Krakatau had stopped based on data from satellite imagery and weather observations. This, however, did not rule out the possibility of the volcano in the Sunda Strait erupting anew in the near future.

On Monday, the PVMBG said it had not recorded eruptions from the volcano from Feb. 4 to 11.