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)