TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Lana Saria, has reported that the seismic activity at Mount Burni Telong in Bener Meriah Regency, Aceh, has been observed to be increasingly intense and shallow.
The mountain's activity status was raised to Level II (Caution) on November 25, 2025, following a recorded tectonic earthquake of magnitude 4.3 on the same day.
"The current increase in seismic activity is observed to be more intensive and shallow," Lana Saria stated on Friday, December 5, 2025. "The recorded local tectonic earthquakes indicate an increase in pressure covering a fairly large area. The increasing number of shallow volcanic and deep volcanic earthquakes indicates that the magma supply is still ongoing and the movement of magma/fluids is becoming shallower."
Lana warned that tectonic earthquakes in the volcano's vicinity can potentially trigger an eruption. An eruption might also occur as a phreatic eruption (steam-driven explosion) without a significant preceding increase in seismic activity.
She also highlighted other potential threats, specifically volcanic gas emissions. "Other potential threats can include volcanic gas emissions in the area around the solfatara and fumarole vents, which can be hazardous if the inhaled gas concentration exceeds safe threshold values," she added.
Due to the observed increase in shallow volcanic earthquakes, the Geological Agency announced the expansion of the Mount Burni Telong danger zone on December 4, 2025, from a radius of 1.5 kilometers to 3 kilometers from the crater.
Between December 4 and December 5, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. WIB, the Geological Agency recorded: 53 shallow volcanic earthquakes, 39 deep volcanic earthquakes, and 10 local tectonic earthquakes.
Despite the heightened seismic activity, visual observations indicated no smoke emanating from the crater of Mount Burni Telong.
The Geological Agency is maintaining the activity status of Mount Burni Telong at Level II (Caution), and the danger zone remains at a 3-kilometer radius from the crater.
The public is strongly advised to avoid the fumarole and solfatara areas during cloudy or rainy weather, as concentrated gas potential may pose a life threat. The mountain, a stratovolcano with a peak height of $2,624$ meters above sea level, is continuously monitored from the Mount Burni Telong Observation Post in Serule Kayu Village, Bukit District, Bener Meriah Regency.
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