An official guards the area around the Sileri Crater in Kepakisan village, Batur district, Banjarnegara regency, Central Java, Sunday (2/7). Two eruptions recently occurred at the crater, and spewing cold lava. The area has been closed to the public.
Beneath its naturally exotic mountain views that serve as a tourism magnet, danger lurks in the Dieng region and on the slopes of Mount Sindoro in Central Java province. Its steep hills are hidden beneath a thick curtain of fog that shrouds the land almost all day long.
Dieng is topographically unique. The highland is located some 2,200 meters above sea level and is the highest plateau on Java. Geographically, the plateau encompasses regions in Banjarnegara, Wonosobo, Pemalang, Tegal, Batang and Pekalongan regencies. However, the tourist area is centered in Banjarnegara and Wonosobo.
Apart from the numerous Hindu temples, there are 10 active craters in Dieng, one of which is the Sileri Crater, which erupted on Sunday (2/7/2017) when many tourists were in the area. Several geological studies have found that the Dieng Plateau was formed millions of years ago as a caldera of an ancient volcano. Another uniqueness of the area that people must watch out for is the potential emergence of poisonous gas from certain craters.
The mountainous 22,500-hectare Dieng area was covered by a lush forest 30 years ago. However, widespread potato farming has since caused deforestation in a majority of the region.
Lush forests can still be found on the slopes of Mt. Sindoro in eastern Dieng. Pine trees, giant Walitis trees and lamtoro (Leucaena leucocephala) cover the region. Locals also cultivate Arabica coffee here.
On the slopes of Dieng and Mt. Sindoro (3,136 meters above sea level), thick fog is an everyday occurrence. Sunny weather only occurs for two or three hours in the morning after dawn, especially during the rainy season. Thick fog arrives at 11 a.m. On the roads, visibility may be less than 10 meters in the afternoon.
The crash of the Basarnas Dauphin AS365 helicopter on Sunday afternoon occurred in such conditions. The helicopter crashed into a cluster of hills that the locals call the Butak hills in Canggal village, Candiroto district, Temanggung.
The Butak hills on the northeastern slope of Mt. Sindoro are covered in lush forest. Apart from the thick fog, strong wind occurs in the afternoon. A mixture of the two can at least be an initial guess of the reason behind the tragic helicopter accident.
