The Lokon and Mahawu volcanic monitoring post in Kakaskasen, Tomohon, was still recording volcanic shocks of quite high amplitudes up to 45 millimeters from the Tompaluan crater, Mt Lokon, North Sulawesi. "The amplitudes are still big," head of the Lokon and Mahawu volcanic observation post in Kakaskasen, Farid Ruskanda Bina, said in Tomohon Saturday. He said the deep volcano indicates a very strong energy supply from magma. This calls for serious attention. It is always possible that Mt Lokon has been collecting energy. "Let us hope we had made the wrong prediction, and there would be no volcanic shock frequencies which may trigger an eruption," he added. Besides volcanic shocks, on Sunday there had been five blows coupled by fine volcanic ash. The amplitude of the shock blows, Farid said, was quite big reaching 40 millimeters. "Once in a while we have also recorded distant tectonic shocks, while it is not certain that such shocks could trigger an eruption," Farid said. The shocks which are still being recorded, he said are tremors with a high amplitude. "From 00.00 to 1.55 pm local time we have recorded a big amplitude of 5-25 millimeters, dominating 10 millimeters. This means there had been continued magma supplies," he said. Up till now the Bandung Geological and Disaster Volcanological and Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has not lowered the status of Mt Lokon from alert III to alert II, ANTARA reported. "We hope residents to stay away from the danger radius of Mt Lokon 2.5 kilometers from the brink of the crater," he said. Mt Lokon erupted again on Sunday (Aug 28) since it erupted on Wednesday (Aug 17). Kinilow village, Kinilow I and Kakaskasen I, Tomohon Utara sub-district, is a danger zone of Mt Lokon.
