Mt. Merapi shows intensified volcanic activity<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Volcanic activity in the 2,968-meter-high
\nMerapi volcano in Central Java has been intensifying, with the
\ndischarge of thin dust, lava and heat clouds threatening the
\ndensely populated area below, a volcanologist said on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The lava and heat clouds -- which can reach some 600 degrees
\nCelsius -- have been flowing down the western slope of the
\nvolcano to the Kali Senowo, Kali Sat and Kali Bebeng rivers,
\nwhich are located near the neighboring villages.<\/p>\n
Thin dust also covered areas of the Babadan, Ngepos, and
\nKaliurang observatory posts.<\/p>\n
\"Our office also detected a new lava dome at the top of Merapi
\nwhich is around 100 meters wide. We have named it 'Kubah 2001',
\ndue to our calculations estimating that it was formed around Jan.
\n16 to Jan. 17,\" head of the Yogyakarta Volcano Technology
\nDevelopment and Research Station (BPPTK) Syamsul Rizal said on
\nSunday.<\/p>\n
The new dome was formed in a volcanic process which replaced
\nthe 1998 lava dome, destroyed several days before, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The current lava dome is still in an unstable condition as
\nthe process is still taking place,\" Syamsul said, revealing that
\nthe lava dome's glow can be clearly seen at night.<\/p>\n
The volcano observation post in Kaliurang is located on the
\nsouthern slope, or only about four kilometers away from the foot
\nof the mountain.<\/p>\n
The heated clouds from the newly-formed lava dome have caused
\nthe emission of thin dust which is showering the neighboring
\nareas, he said.<\/p>\n
\"The lava outflow and heat clouds are now reaching 3.5
\nkilometers down the peak,\" an observation worker at Nepos
\nobservatory post said, adding that the biggest heat clouds were
\nexpelled at approximately 12 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
On Jan. 10 the volcanology authority raised an alert on Mount
\nMerapi to the second highest danger level, as a result of the
\nincreased activity.<\/p>\n
Reports state that most of the estimated 8,000 residents
\nliving near the volcano are peasants and sand diggers.<\/p>\n
The status was raised from \"beware\" to \"be prepared\".<\/p>\n
The volcanology office recognizes four danger status levels
\nfor a volcano -- normal, beware, be prepared and alert -- the
\nlast being announced when an eruption is imminent.<\/p>\n
The volcano has been declared off-limits to mountain climbers
\nbut there has been no evacuation of the population living on the
\nlower reaches of its slopes.<\/p>\n
\"However, we have strongly warned sand diggers to stop their
\nactivities and people to be prepared and alert just in case the
\nexplosion takes place,\" Syamsul added.<\/p>\n
In the most recent recorded incidents, Merapi last erupted in
\n1994 with heat clouds killing more than 60 people and forcing
\nmore than 6,000 people to evacuate the area.<\/p>\n
An earlier eruption in November 1976 killed 28 people and left
\nno less than 1,200 people homeless. (44\/edt\/swa)<\/p>",
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