As a result of the most recent evaluation by PVMBG, Gunung Agung’s alert level was reduced yesterday morning to Level III (Siaga) and the exclusion zone was set at 4 km from the crater.

The seismograph starts out with the big, 5.0 on the Richter Scale earthquake just off the southwest coast of Sumbawa, and then shows a pretty quiet day consistent with its new status.

• 13 blowing tremors
• 1 shallow
• 3 deep volcanic quakes
• 1 local tectonic quake

One weak, thin plume rose to 50 meters as if to remind us, “Don’t count me out, yet.” It is not clear how many people might be affected by the reduced exclusion zone – the head of the BPBD indicated that all evacuees could now return to their homes, but there seem to be some banjars within the 4 km zone.

I’ve translated and am uploading the Bali Tribune article on key points in the evaluation. The last point is the most important, “volcanic activity of Gunung Agung is still high and not yet stable, where an eruption can still happen at any time.”

BPBD’s report yesterday on evacuees: 177 evacuation posts (-0 from the previous day) counted 18,844 evacuees registered (-187). Roughly 17,000 people are estimated to reside in the 6 km exclusion zone, and it’s not yet known how many live in the 4 km zone.