Merapi spews more hot clouds

Merapi spews more hot clouds

MAGELANG, Central Java: Despite no major outburst in the last
three days, Mt. Merapi showed little sign of simmering down as it
continued to puff dangerous gasses yesterday.

The high volcanic activity over the past week gave no sign of
subsiding as more hot clouds and lava spewed from the crater.

Hot clouds gushed above the crater to an estimated 4,500
meters while lava flowed in a southwesterly direction along the
lava canals of Lamat, Blongkeng, Sat, Boyong, Senowo and Jurang
Jero here for almost five kilometers.

In Kaliurang mountain resort in Yogyakarta, some 20 kilometers
south of Merapi, a shower of volcanic ash was also reported.

"Here in Kaliurang, it's only a slight layer of ash. Thick
ashes fell on Srumbung and Dukun," Suramto, an official at the
Kaliurang volcano observatory, said yesterday

Separately, head of the Volcanology Directorate's Research
Office here, Mas Atje Purbawinata, urged residents around the
volcano to remain alert as a sudden change in wind direction
could bring hot toxic clouds in their direction.

"Residents must heed warnings from authorities just in case
there is a call to evacuation," he said.

The volcano's status yesterday remained one level below the
highest after it erupted July 11.

Thus far the hot clouds have fortunately only descended in
uninhabited areas. Despite the high activity of the volcano,
there has been no call for evacuation.

One of the world's most active volcanoes, Merapi in November
1994 claimed 66 lives after spewing hot clouds over an inhabited
area.

The most fatal eruption was in 1930 when over 1,300 were
killed. (23/44)