CVGHM reported that observers at the Papandayan observation post in Pakuwon Village reported no significant changes at Papandayan during May and the beginning of June. They noted that during May plumes rose less than 100 m above Baru and Emas craters, and during 1-5 June plumes rose 20 m at most.

The energy of volcanic earthquakes sharply increased during 2-4 May, and then decreased on 5 May. The average number of volcanic earthquakes declined from 35-49 events per day in early-to-mid May, to 14 events per day in mid-to-late May. The number of events continued to decline through the beginning of June. The number of local tectonic earthquakes also decreased significantly from an average of 67-71 events per day in early-to-mid May, to 2-17 events per day the latter half of May, to about 2 events per day in early June.

Based on the visual observations and decline in seismicity, CVGHM lowered the Alert Level to 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Geological Summary. Papandayan is a complex stratovolcano at the S end of a curved volcanic massif with Kendang volcano ~9 km away at the N end, Gunung Puntang ~3.5 km NNE, and Gunung Jaya ~6 km NNE. Several episodes of collapse have created an irregular profile and produced debris avalanches that have affected lowland areas. The summit area includes four large craters, including the 1.1-km-wide, flat-floored Alun-Alun crater. A sulfur-encrusted fumarole field occupies the active Kawah Mas ("Golden Crater"). The first reported eruption, in 1772 CE, included a collapse of the NE flank and a debris avalanche that destroyed 40 villages and killed almost 3,000 people. Smaller phreatic eruptions occurred during 1923-25, 1942, and 2002.

Source: Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG, also known as CVGHM)