Mt Merapi quieter but danger remains<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Aside from a few minor tremors and rumblings,
\nMount Merapi was generally quieter yesterday compared to several
\npowerful eruptions occurring Saturday.<\/p>\n
The government has eased the warning for areas at the slope
\nand foot of the volcano from full alert, the highest level
\nrequiring people to evacuate, to high alert, requiring people to
\nbe prepared to flee at short notice.<\/p>\n
The 2,911-meter Merapi, said to be one of the most active
\nvolcanoes in the world, continued spewing hot ashes and toxic gas
\nto as far as four kilometers from the crater, but not far enough
\nto endanger the heavily populated areas around it.<\/p>\n
Sukhyar, the director of volcanology at the Ministry of Mines
\nand Energy, said the three million cubic meters of lava and other
\nvolcanic debris spewed out during Saturday's eruptions could be
\nhazardous to inhabitants.<\/p>\n
Should it rain in the next few days, the debris could flood
\nareas along Lamat, Senowo, Sat and Blongkong rivers to the west,
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
\"People who live near these rivers should remain vigilant and
\nwatch Merapi's activity,\" Sukhyar said.<\/p>\n
Antara quoted Mas Atje Purbawinata, a senior official at the
\nlocal Volcanology Directorate's research office, as saying that
\nthe government continued to closely monitor Mt. Merapi.<\/p>\n
He said several cracks caused by internal pressure were
\nspotted at the top of the crater.<\/p>\n
Another government researcher, Ratdomo Purbo, said two
\nvolcanic earthquakes were recorded yesterday, but they were not
\nas intense as the ones felt Saturday.<\/p>\n
There have been no reports of casualties since the first
\npowerful eruption Saturday. Officials attributed this to the high
\nalert maintained by villagers long familiar with such natural
\ndisasters.<\/p>\n
But some farmers still could not come to terms with the crop
\nlosses.<\/p>\n
Marjo, a 51-year-old tobacco farmer in Krajan village, Dukun
\nsubdistrict, returned yesterday to find most of his plants
\ndestroyed by hot volcanic ash.<\/p>\n
\"I never imagined that it would be this severe,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Krajan was among the worst-hit villages near Mt. Merapi.<\/p>\n
Dukun residents worked hand-in-hand yesterday to remove big
\ntrees that had fallen after the eruptions and were blocking
\nroads.<\/p>\n
The provincial administration has sent relief teams, including
\nmedical workers, to 15 villages in Dukun, a subdistrict with a
\npopulation of about 41,000.<\/p>\n
\"We also have 15 trucks ready to evacuate the villagers if
\nMerapi erupts again,\" a local official said. (23\/44\/prb)<\/p>",
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