Mt. Merapi erupts, 8,000 flee<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 8,000 people were evacuated yesterday
\nas Mount Merapi erupted, gushing molten lava and spewing heat
\nclouds of ash over vast areas.<\/p>\n
There was no word on casualties but unconfirmed reports said
\nsix people went missing as the alert was raised to the highest
\nlevel.<\/p>\n
Officials monitoring the 2,968 meter high volcano said two
\nminor eruptions occurred in the morning and two larger ones
\nfollowed in the afternoon.<\/p>\n
The molten lava streaming down the mount's slope was clearly
\nvisible from the ancient city of Yogyakarta last night as the
\nweather was fine.<\/p>\n
Officials observing the natural phenomena said burning
\nvolcanic ash shot 4,000 meters into the sky, falling across areas
\nas far as six kilometers away.<\/p>\n
The explosion, that observers say was larger than the one in
\n1994, affected the nearby regencies of Sleman, Klaten, Boyolali
\nand Magelang as well as Yogyakarta.<\/p>\n
Government officials handling the crisis said over 4,700
\npeople were evacuated from the worst-hit district of Manisrenggo
\nin Klaten.<\/p>\n
Over 3,000 people on the southern slope were moved from
\nvillages nearest the mountain. They were accommodated on safe
\nground in Hargobinangun, about 15 kilometers from Merapi.<\/p>\n
Residents said the first big bang was heard at about 10:35
\na.m. when thick smoke was belching from the mountain dome. The
\neruption could be heard from Yogyakarta, about 35 kilometers
\nsouth of Merapi.<\/p>\n
The second eruption was not quite as forceful. Louder
\nexplosions were heard at 1:45 p.m. and 3 p.m.<\/p>\n
An official at the observation post in nearby Kaliurang said
\nthat in one of the eruptions, the thick smoke gushing from the
\nmountain's peak formed a giant mushroom-shaped cloud with a 4,000
\nmeter diameter.<\/p>\n
The burning lava streamed down to the Krasak river on the
\nwestern slope and the Bebeng river in the southeast.<\/p>\n
Sleman regent Arifin Ilyas said fatalities had not been
\nreported because people fled their homes as soon as officials
\ntold them to.<\/p>\n
An official at the nearby observatory, Dewi told The Jakarta
\nPost that yesterday's eruptions rivaled the 1994 one, which
\nclaimed 68 lives and forced about 6,000 people to flee from their
\nvillages.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Pakem district chief Suharjo told the Post that
\n1000 residents from the east and west Kalibarat villages were
\nevacuated to Pakembinangun, where Yogyakarta Sultan
\nHamengkubuwono X, regent Arifin Ilyas and Sleman chief of police
\nvisited to assess the situation.<\/p>\n
The latest report last night said that of the six people
\nreported missing, five were workers from a drinking water project
\non the Kaliboyong river and the other was a farmer.<\/p>\n
A 50-year-old grandmother from Kalitengah Lor, identified as
\nTukirah, was treated for a broken arm at Yogyakarta's Dr.
\nSardjito General Hospital.<\/p>\n
Flights<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, flights to and from Yogyakarta were not affected by
\nthe eruption, said Garuda Indonesian Airways spokesman Arif
\nHardanto.<\/p>\n
The air carrier's daily services between Jakarta and
\nYogyakarta take place seven times, while daily services between
\nJakarta and Semarang run three times a day and services between
\nYogyakarta and Denpasar run five times a day.<\/p>\n
Merpati Nusantara Airway's spokesman Chairil said daily
\nservices continued, one flight each way between Jakarta and
\nYogyakarta.<\/p>\n
The last crisis was in August last year when the mountain was
\nextraordinarily active and nearby residents were placed on
\nevacuation alert. This activity subsided.<\/p>\n
The earliest recorded eruption of the mountain was in 1006,
\nwhen it destroyed the Hindu Mataram kingdom. In 1930, 1,369
\npeople were killed and 26 villages buried. (23\/har\/01)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mt-merapi-erupts-8000-flee-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}