Mount Sinabung, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, mayerupt again or find new seismic balance and be stable as its seismicactivities remain high.

Xinhua News Agency citedthe head of the National Volcanology Agency, who goes with single nameSurono, as saying that the emergency relief period, which was to end onJan. 4, is going to be extended as the tremors are still intense,dashing hope for 18,412 evacuees, who have been in shelters since lastmonth, of returning home soon.

"The seismic activityof Sinabung is still high. I have not found out whether it is part ofSinabung activities to find new seismic balance and stable or to eruptagain," he said.

Mount Sinabung in Karodistrict has rumbled to life since September after being dormant for 400years, but it went into overdrive in November, pushing more evacuation,hence the authorities expanded evacuation zone to 5 km from 3 kmearlier.

"I think the emergency relief period by upto Jan. 4 can not cope with the mount seismic activity. I foresee itwill be expanded again," said Surono, referring to the one weekextension.

On Nov. 3, the 2,457-meter MountSinabung volcano in Karo district of North Sumatra witnessed itsstrongest eruption since September, shooting a column of ash up to 7,000meters to the sky. The authorities have then raised the threat alarm ofthe volcano to top level.

The Mount Sinabungvolcano is among the 129 active volcanoes in the vast archipelagocountry, which is vulnerable to seismic upheaval as it lays on thePacific "Ring of Fire."-VNA