Padang, sumbarsatu.com — Mount Marapi, located on the border of Agam and Tanah Datar Regencies in West Sumatra, has erupted 12 times throughout September 2025. The latest eruption occurred on Friday (Sept. 26) at 6:31 p.m. local time, sending an ash column about 1,000 meters above the summit.
“The ash column was observed to be white to gray with thick intensity drifting eastward. The eruption was recorded on the seismograph with a maximum amplitude of 30.4 millimeters and lasted around 46 seconds,” said Ahmad Rifandi, officer at the Mount Marapi Volcano Observation Post (PGA), Monday (Sept. 29, 2025).
According to PGA data, the first eruption this month took place on Sept. 4 at 9:44 p.m., although the ash column was not visible due to cloud cover. On Sept. 21, the 2,891-meter-high volcano erupted twice. Currently, Mount Marapi remains at Alert Level II (Waspada).
The Center for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) has prohibited all activities within a three-kilometer radius of the Verbeek Crater. PVMBG also warned of potential cold lahars, particularly during the rainy season, which could threaten communities along rivers originating from Marapi’s peak.
Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lt. Gen. Suharyanto, assured that early warning systems (EWS) installed around Marapi are functioning properly. “These devices monitor river water levels. If the water exceeds the threshold, the system records and reports it. So far, the system has worked as expected,” he explained.
In addition to EWS, BNPB is constructing five sabo dams this year to hold back water discharge and reduce the risk of cold lahar floods. The effort follows the disaster of May 11, 2024, which claimed dozens of lives.
Meanwhile, the West Sumatra Provincial Government, through its Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), has proposed additional EWS installations to BNPB. According to BPBD spokesperson Ilham Wahab, only four out of 27 rivers flowing directly from Marapi are currently equipped with EWS. “That means 23 other rivers still need sensors and CCTV. This is critical for mitigating the risks of cold lahar floods,” he said.
BPBD confirmed that existing devices function well, with real-time data from sensors and CCTV delivered to BPBD offices in Agam and Tanah Datar.
For reference, the cold lahar floods from Mount Marapi on May 11, 2024, coincided with flash floods from Mount Singgalang, killing 63 people and leaving 10 missing. Hundreds of houses and public facilities were also heavily damaged. ssc
