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Earthquake
monitoring gear stolen in West Java
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post,
Bandung
Earthquake monitoring equipment worth about Rp 100 million
(US$10,526) installed at Mount Guntur in Garut regency,
West Java, has been stolen, thereby halting quake monitoring
activities, an official said Wednesday.
Surono, head of the Volcanology and Geological Disaster
Mitigation Center, said that his office had reported the
theft to the security authorities, the 13th such theft to
take place on the mount.
He explained that the stolen equipment consisted of, among
others things, a seismometer, battery, solar panel and voltage
control oscillator.
"We urge the thieves to return the equipment as it
will be useless for them, while we are badly in need of
the equipment to monitor the activities of the mount in
the interests of the public," Surono said.
Surono further said that such thefts had taken place several
times, and he would intensify security there by ordering
the four security officers to be more vigilant.
Previously the thieves just took the solar panel and its
battery which produces power to generate the seismometer,
he said.
"We have actually installed the equipment using concrete
construction, but it turns out the thieves are cleverer,"
Surono said, adding that the equipment was installed far
from a track used by local people and climbers to prevent
theft.
The stolen set is one of four sets of such equipment to
monitor seismic activity on Mount Guntur, he said.
Mas Atje Purbawinata, head of the western part of the mountain
monitoring office, disclosed that the theft would prevent
observers from determining the epicenter of a possible earthquake.
Mount Guntur, which is 2,800 meters in height, last erupted
in 1847 and after being inactive for a long time its volcanic
activities began again in February this year.
The seismic activities, which take place two to three time
per week, have increased to eight times per day, but the
Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center has
not raised its alert status.
"We will still closely monitor its development as we
are concerned that the mount's volcanic activities may intensify,
threatening the lives of the people living of the mount's
slopes in the many recreation areas," Atje added.
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