Indonesia’s Mount Merapi set to reopen tourist areas

Pigeons take to the air as Merapi volcano continues to emit smoke from its crater on June 4, 2018 after spewing volcanic ash for days, as seen from Karanganyar in Indonesia’s Central Java province.
Merapi previously erupted in 2010, killing more than 300 people and forcing 280,000 to flee, in what is considered its most powerful eruption since 1930. / AFP PHOTO / Agung Supriyanto

Mount Merapi National Park (TNGM) is set to reopen the tourist area located inside the park’s conservation area to accommodate visitors during the Idul Fitri holiday despite the mountain currently remaining at level II (caution) status.

“Due to the Idul Fitri and national holidays, the tourist sites in the TNGM area will be reopened starting on Monday,” said TNGM head Ammy Nurwati in a statement on Friday.

Ammy said the tourist sites were situated outside the 3-kilometer radius from Mt. Merapi’s peak, within which the Research and Technological Development for Geological Disaster Agency (BPPTKG) has recommended the conducting of no human activities.

Among the tourist sites that will be reopened are Tlogo Muncar and Tlogo Nirmolo in Kaliurang, Sleman; Panguk and Plunyon in Cangkringan, Sleman; Deles in Klaten; and Jurang Jero in Magelang.

Previously the popular sites had been closed following Mt. Merapi’s eruption on May 22.

When the weather is clear, visitors to the tourist sites will be able to marvel at the mountain’s peak, which stands at 2,968 meters above sea level.

Additionally, visitors can also opt to visit other tourist locations in Sleman, namely Ulen Sentalu Museum, Mount Merapi Museum and Museum Dokumenter Kebencanaan (Disaster Documentary Museum) – the latter has been initiated by the people of Srodokan, Cangkringan, Sleman.

BPPTKG’s Mt. Merapi division head Agus Budi Santoso confirmed that the tourist sites were located outside the 3-kilometer radius of Merapi’s peak.

The mountain has been at level II status since May 22. Although eruptions have been few, the BPPTKG says the volcano is still actively spewing gas from its crater.