Mount Merapi remains dangerous<\/p>\n
Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta<\/p>\n
Yogyakarta Volcanology Observation Agency renewed its warning
\nto sand miners and climbers of the possibility of a major
\noutburst of hot lava and steam from Mount Merapi in the coming
\nweeks, due to the rainy season.<\/p>\n
Chief of the observation agency Ratdomopurbo said workers
\nquarrying sand on rivers in Magelang regency should stop their
\ndaily activities for the time being, people living on its west
\nslope should remain alert and mountain climbers should also not
\nventure any closer to the crater because the mountain's new
\ncrater could spew out hot lava due to continued rain at its
\nsummit.<\/p>\n
"The warning is renewed because the mountain has spewed out
\nhot lava and steam six times over the last week and the rainfall
\nsurrounding the mountain is increasing," he said after presiding
\nover a meeting to monitor the mountain's activities here on
\nMonday.<\/p>\n
The outflow of hot lava and steam was caused by a heavy
\ndownpour that destroyed the new crater's mouth, or upper part. "A
\none-hour-long heavy downpour would be enough to cause a landslide
\non the mountain, bringing down hot lava and steam," he said.<\/p>\n
The lava that spewed out last week did not cause any human
\nfatalities because it spread only two-and-a-half kilometers away
\nfrom the crater.<\/p>\n
Ratdomopurbo acknowledged the mountain's activity was not
\nincreasing but said a potential danger was raised by the downpour
\nthat had inundated the new crater, causing a strong buildup of
\npressure inside that had spewed out the lava.<\/p>\n
The new crater, which developed last year, contains 100
\nmillion cubic meter of hot lava, and around 20 percent of it was
\nspewed out last week, he said.<\/p>\n
He said his office has given information on the mountain's
\nlava to all people living and working in the upper part of the
\nrivers Senowo, Lamat and Sat in Magelang regency because the
\ncrater faced the regency.<\/p>\n
The 2,875-meter-high mountain located in the border area
\nbetween Yogyakarta and Central Java also spewed out hot lava in
\n1994, killing dozens of villagers in the regency.<\/p>\n
It has erupted hundreds of times since 1006, when it claimed
\nthousands of lives. It erupted for the first time in 1006,
\nkilling half of the province's population. Some 3,000 were killed
\nin the second eruption on Aug. 4, 1672.<\/p>\n
It also erupted five times in the 19th century and six times
\nin the 20th.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mount-merapi-remains-dangerous-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}