Mount Anak Krakatau eruptions attract foreign tourists

Serang, Banten (ANTARA News) - Mt Anak Krakatau, the volcano in the Sunda Strait which has been erupting with small explosions during the past few weeks, has attracted a number of Australian and European visitors, a tourist guide said.

"Some 10 to 15 Australian and European tourists come here every day to observe the eruptions of Mount Anak Krakatau," Iman Faisal (35), a tourist guide at Carita beach resort in Pandeglang, Banten, said here Saturday.

He said many of the foreign tourists take pictures of the eruptions as the happening was something of great interest in their respective countries.

"This is because Anak Krakatau is possibly the only volcano in the world that rises from the sea," he said adding that Anak Krakatau had become a legend as its eruption in 1883 killed 36,000 people.

Mount Anak Krakatau has been erupting over the past few weeks.

Officials at the Anak Krakatau Monitong Post in Pasauran village, Cinangka sub district, Serang district, said the volcano`s activity was on Friday marked by 182 eruptions coupled with 11 volcanic quakes, eight deep volcanic tremors, 54 shallow volcanic shocks, 44 tremors, and it also spewed smoke 29 times.

But none of the phenomena posed a direct threat to human life. There were even 2-minute tectonic shocks but also not dangerous.

Budiman, of the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center in Bandung, West Java, said the number of eruptions, volcanic shocks and tremors throughout Friday had declined compared to Thursday when there were 195 eruptions followed by 7 deep volcanic tremors, 49 shallow volcanic shocks and 18 tremors.

All this meant that Anak Krakatau`s activity was still fluctuating each day. There were no major eruptions and volcanic shocks such as had happened in 1883.

On Saturday, Anak Krakatau was still spewing molten rocks, hot clouds, and toxic gas, and had remained at the third level of alertness, Budiman said.

He therefore urged visitors and fishermen to stay away from the foot of Anak Krakatau.