|
YOGYAKARTA - Mount Merapi erupted on the Indonesian island of Java on late Tuesday afternoon, causing thousands of residents to flee the area, officials said. The eruption began at around 5.50 p.m. local time on Tuesday when three loud explosions rocked the mountain, spewing volcanic ashes into the sky.
Few details about the extent of the eruption were immediately available, but local media reported that thousands of residents had begun to flee the area in panic and said several people had been injured. Mount Merapi, which literally translates to 'Mountain of Fire', is one of the country's most activate volcanoes. Scientists on Monday had raised the alert level to its highest level after white clouds of smoke began pouring out of the mountain, signaling an imminent eruption.
Authorities said more than 50,000 people could be in danger if the volcano erupted, and urged residents to move to safer ground immediately. However, many locals refused to evacuate, saying it was too soon. Mount Merapi, located on the border of Central Java province and the touristic Yogyakarta, could affect regencies that include Sleman, Klaten, Magelang, and Boyolali. Thousands of people have been killed in previous eruptions.
In June 2006, Merapi erupted and killed several people on the island. However, officials believe the volcano could now have a Plinian eruption, which is the most violent of the four classified types of eruptions and has been compared to a nuclear explosion.
Pyroclastic flows, which are usually brought before a volcano erupts, were seen as clouds from far away before the volcano erupted on Tuesday. Subandrio, Head of the Volcanic Technology Development and Investigation Agency of Yogyakarta, said that the temperatures of these clouds may be as high as 1,000 degrees Celsius. As those clouds move down to the slopes of Mount Merapi, as far as four kilometers toward Kaliasem, the temperature decreases to about 500 degrees Celsius.
Last week, the volcanic cone grew by about 8.5 centimeters (3.35 inches) per day, increasing to 16.4 centimeters (6.4 inches) per day on Friday, but clouds and poor visibility have hampered scientists' effort to measure the mountain's distention.
The Indonesian government on Monday prepared a relief package of Rp. 25 billion (US$2.8 million) to respond to the expected eruption, which became reality just 24 hours later. Furthermore, police and military were already on standby to deal with refugees and victims.
The eruption in 2006 was not the only notable and deadly eruption. Other major eruptions took place in 1006, 1786, 1822, 1872, and 1930. The 1930 eruption left at least 1,400 people killed.
|
|
|
There are no reactions on this blog entry yet. Be the first one to give a reaction here!
|
Log in to write a reaction
|
You are not logged in to the website. You have to be logged in to write a reaction on this blog entry.
· If you already have an account, please login.
· If you have lost your password, please retrieve it.
· If you don't have an account yet, you can create one.
|
|
|
ABOUT THIS ENTRY |
Add this blog entry to your email, your own blog, MySpace, Facebook, or whatsoever via AddThis:
|

Login if you want to receive emails for reactions on this blog entry. You will receive an update as soon as a reaction on this blog entry is posted.
|
|
Looking for e-tickets for flights in Indonesia? Here's your solution! Order your e-tickets at ticketindonesia.info.
|
BLOG ARCHIVE |
· 2015, 28 entries
· 2014, 591 entries
· 2013, 750 entries
· 2012, 1061 entries
· 2011, 792 entries
· 2010, 644 entries
· 2009, 916 entries
· 2008, 504 entries
· 2007, 725 entries
· 2006, 1014 entries
· 2005, 723 entries
· 2004, 558 entries
· 2003, 525 entries
· 2002, 375 entries
· 2001, 162 entries
|
POPULAR TAGS |
Automatically generated every hour
|
EXCHANGE RATES |
@ 17 May 2018 18:12 CET
|
@ 17 May 2018 21:58 CET
|
@ 15 May 2018 08:42 CET
|
@ 07 May 2018 07:48 CET
|
@ 16 May 2018 09:18 CET
|
@ 17 May 2018 00:46 CET
|
|
Go to 'exchange rates' |
|