The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has strictly urged residents and tourists on Siau Island, North Sulawesi, not to enter the predicted danger zone following the eruption of Mount Karangetang. This step was taken as a preventive measure to ensure the safety of residents around the Disaster-Prone Area (KRB).
The Head of the Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center of BNPB, Abdul Muhari, explained that authorities have established a sterile radius of 1.5 kilometers from the peaks of Crater Two and the Main Crater. Additionally, there is a sectoral extension of 2.5 kilometers heading south to southwest of the mountain that must be cleared of all community activities.
Volcanic activity of the 1,784-meter-high mountain has increased since Sunday night (12/7) with a Strombolian eruption type. The eruption not only ejected incandescent materials that burned thatch vegetation on the mountain slopes but also triggered lava flows reaching a distance of 1,000 meters to the north and south of the crater.
In addition to the threat of magmatic eruptions and pyroclastic flows, residents living along the riverbanks originating from the peak of Mount Karangetang are asked to increase their vigilance. The risk of flash floods and cold lava flows (lahar) is a serious concern, given that the lava material accumulated at the peak of the mountain remains unstable.
Based on records from the Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG), seismic activity has shown a significant upward trend since early July 2026. Although the volcano's status remains at Level II (Alert), BNPB emphasizes that the public must continue to comply with all technical recommendations to minimize unwanted risks.
