Merapi spews volcanic ash

Merapi spews volcanic ash

SEMARANG, Central Java: Mount Merapi, at the border of Central Java and Yogyakarta, spewed burning ash again on Monday but there has been no reports of injuries, an official said.

Mas Atje Purbawinata, chief of the Yogyakarta-based agency monitoring Merapi activities, said that the 600 Celsius degree ash rained over an area 1,500 meters from the crater.

In its latest major eruption in November, mount Merapi killed almost 60 people, injured several dozen others and displaced more than 2,000 families.

Over the past few days, hundreds of families who lost their homes in last year's eruption have moved to a resettlement area built by the local government. (yud)