Description

Mount Ceremai is an active Quaternary volcano, classified as a Type A volcano (i.e., a magmatic volcano that has been active since 1600), and it takes on a stratovolcano shape.

This solitary volcano is separated by the Cilacap-Kuningan Fault Zone from the eastern part of the West Java volcanic range (which includes Mount Galunggung, Mount Guntur, Mount Papandayan, Mount Patuha, and Mount Tangkuban Perahu), situated within the Bandung Zone. Ceremai is a third-generation volcano.

The first generation is a Pleistocene volcano located near Mount Ceremai, continuing the Plio-Pleistocene volcanism on Tertiary rocks.

The second-generation volcanism is represented by Mount Gegerhalang, which collapsed to form the Gegerhalang Caldera.

The third-generation volcanism, during the Holocene, is Mount Ceremai growing on the northern side of the Gegerhalang Caldera, estimated to have occurred around 7,000 years ago (Situmorang 1991). Eruptions of Mount Ceremai have been recorded since 1698, with the most recent eruption occurring in 1937, following a rest period ranging from 3 to 112 years.

Three eruptions in 1772, 1775, and 1805 occurred in the central crater but did not cause significant damage.

Sulfur steam eruptions and the emergence of new fumaroles on the central crater wall occurred in 1917 and 1924.

From June 24, 1937, to January 7, 1938, a phreatic eruption took place in the central crater and radial fissures.

Ash spread over an area of ​​52,500 square kilometers (Kusumadinata, 1971).

In 1947, 1955, and 1973, tectonic earthquakes struck the southwest region of Mount Ceremai, suspected to be related to southeast-northwest fault structures.

Damaging earthquakes affecting buildings in the Maja and Talaga areas west of Mount Ceremai occurred in 1990 and 2001, with tremors felt as far as Cilimus Village to the east of Mount Ceremai.