VZCZCXRO9562
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHJA #5483/01 1211027
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 011027Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3521
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEHZS/ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 9759
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3386
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9373
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 3654
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJAA/JICPAC HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 005483 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
DEPT FOR OPS CENTER, EAP/MTS, DS, S/ES-O/CMS, EAP/EX, 
EAP/PD, CA/OCS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/DSS/IP, DS/DSS, ITA, ID/IP, 
ITA, OES/IET, AND OES/ETC 
 
E.O. 12598: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR ASEC CASC SENV PGOV ID
SUBJECT: MOUNT MERAPI ERUPTION PREPAREDNESS 
 
 
¶1. Summary.  Embassy held a meeting on May 1 to discuss 
preparedness for a possible eruption of Mount Merapi 
Volcano, 27 kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta in 
central Java.  The volcano went on level 3 orange alert 
(ready to erupt) on April 12 and could threaten 200,000 
people in the hazard zone and possibly disrupt civil 
aviation.  The increased volcanic activity could result in 
three scenarios: a large eruption as happened in 1930; a 
smaller eruption as happened in 1994, which killed 68 
people; or continued seismic and other activity without an 
eruption.  The situation remains uncertain.  Embassy has 
issued two warden notices (April 13 and 28) and plans a 
third one on May 5.  About 200 American Citizens (AmCits) 
live in the Yogyakarta area.  USAID has provided USD 50,000 
to help with emergency preparedness including evacuation 
centers and supplies.  The Office of Foreign Disaster 
Assistance has contact with local authorities.  A visiting 
U.S. Geological Survey team, working with local authorities, 
monitors the volcano's activity.  The Indonesian Center of 
Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (CVGHM), the 
official outlet for public information on the volcano, has 
updated its website (see para 3 below).  End Summary. 
 
¶2. The DCM led a meeting to discuss preparedness for an 
expected eruption of Mount Merapi Volcano in Central Java. 
In a worst-case scenario, the volcano, located about 27 
kilometers from the city of Yogyakarta, could threaten 
200,000 people in the hazard zone and disrupt civil 
aviation.  The city of Yogyakarta and its surrounding 
special region have a population of about 3.3 million. 
 
Mount Merapi Volcano on Level 3 Alert 
------------------------------------- 
¶3. Indonesians authorities placed Mount Merapi Volcano on a 
level 3 or orange alert (ready to erupt) on April 12 after 
recording an increase in seismic and other activity.  The 
Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation 
(CVGHM), Yogyakarta Investigation and Development of 
Volcanology Technology Office (BPPTK) and Merapi Volcano 
Observatory (MVO) urged tourists and others not to climb the 
mountain and local governments to prepare for an eruption. 
They advised miners and local residents to avoid coming 
within an eight-kilometer radius of Merapi's summit.  The 
CVGHM serves as the official outlet for public information 
on the volcano and has an updated website at: 
http://www.vsi.esdm.go.id/portal/html/index.p hp 
http://www.vsi.esdm.go.id/general_info/index. htm 
 
¶4. The increased activity of Mount Merapi Volcano could 
result in the following three scenarios: 
 
-- A large eruption as happened in 1930 when 1369 people 
died. 
 
-- A smaller eruption perhaps on the scale of the 1994 
eruption that killed 68 people. 
 
-- Continued seismic and other activity without an eruption. 
 
The situation remains uncertain and impossible to predict. 
 
USG Preparedness Activities 
--------------------------- 
 
¶5. Embassy issued warden notices via internet, e-mail and 
cell phone on April 13 and 28.  See 
www.usembassyjakarta.org.  We have notified the 200 
registered American citizens, both private and official, 
living in the Yogyakarta area.  ConGen Surabaya maintains 
updated contact information for these AmCits.  The Embassy 
will issue a new warden message on May 5 and ensure major 
tourist hotels in Yogyakarta know of the danger.  A U.S. 
Geological Survey (USGS) team arrived in Indonesia on April 
25 to work with the Indonesian geological authorities to 
monitor the volcano's activity.  The USG through USAID has 
provided USD 50,000 to the International Federation of the 
 
JAKARTA 00005483  002 OF 002 
 
 
Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies for preparedness efforts 
including evacuation centers and supplies.  The Indonesian 
Red Cross has a fully staffed 24-hour Merapi monitoring 
post.  USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) 
remains in close contact with the Indonesian Red Cross, 
local authorities and the CVGHM. 
 
PASCOE