The last reported activity at Talang occurred in October 1986 (minor steam explosions). Talang was relatively quiet after that, until September 2001, when the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (VSI) reported an increase in activity. On 25 September 2001 the volcano ejected a "white thick-brownish" plume that rose 200-350 m. That evening, a sulfur smell was noticed at the post observatory. Temperatures at Batu Bajanjang hot spring and the fumarole fields at Gabuo Atas and Gabuo Bawah increased (table 1). The water level at Batu Bajanjang decreased drastically.

Table 1. Comparison of temperatures of various locations at Talang during 2000 and 2001. Courtesy of VSI.

Because of a broken seismograph, seismicity at Talang could not be observed until 3 October. During 1-7 October, Talang was dominated by tectonic earthquakes. A thin-white plume reached 50-100 m above the summit. VSI reported four deep volcanic (A-type) events, two shallow volcanic (B-type) events, and 18 tectonic earthquakes. Talang volcano is at Alert Level 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Geological Summary. Talang, which forms a twin volcano with the extinct Pasar Arbaa volcano, lies ESE of the major city of Padang and rises NW of Dibawah Lake. Talang has two crater lakes on its flanks; the largest of these is 1 x 2 km wide Danau Talang. The summit exhibits fumarolic activity, but which lacks a crater. Historical eruptions have mostly involved small-to-moderate explosive activity first documented in the 19th century that originated from a series of small craters in a valley on the upper NE flank.

Information Contacts: Dali Ahmad, Volcanological Survey of Indonesia (VSI), Jalan Diponegoro No.57, Bandung 40122, Indonesia (URL: http://www.vsi.esdm.go.id/).