Merapi's volcanic activities subside amid thick fog: Rizal

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Mount Merapi's volcanic activities subsided on Monday as most parts of the mountain were covered by thick fog, chief of Volcanic Technology and Research Development (BPPTK) Syamsul Rizal said.

"Thick fog hindered visual observation of the volcano's activities. If there is hot smoke, we cannot say where it (the smoke) will head," he said by phone on Monday. Lava was flowing up to 2.7 kilometers from the peak of the mountain and hot clouds were spewing ash about three kilometers down from the volcano, he said.

Although there was no evacuation, residents at the foot of the 2,968-meter Mount Merapi remained on alert on Monday as the volcano spewed lava and hot clouds down its southwest slopes.

From Srumbung district it was reported that none of the residents had left their homes since the volcano erupted on Saturday, a local village official named Wihardjo said on Monday.

Officials said that they were maintaining the highest level of (the volcano's) alert status, which has been in place since Saturday.

"There are still signs of a possible eruption," Syamsul said.

Local leaders in the area, however, said that "residents will only leave their homes if conditions reach a critical state".

"There is no evacuation today. They are all carrying out their normal activities. It is a fact that residents are used to living on dangerous ground here from time to time," Dukun district chief Sarwadi told The Jakarta Post by phone on Monday.

"People here believe that heat clouds which took place on Sabtu Pahing, Saturday according to Javanese calender, will not harm them but the possible eruption on Selasa Kliwon tomorrow (Tuesday) will be dangerous," Sarwadi said.

On Saturday hundreds of people were evacuated and authorities announced the top alert level -- meaning an eruption was imminent -- when Merapi belched hot clouds and lava that ran 6.5 kilometers down its slopes.

Those people, however, returned home on Sunday.

As of Monday, Merapi's alert status has remained unchanged since it was raised to the Awas Merapi top level on Saturday following increasing volcanic activity.

Health officials had distributed thousands of masks to residents in three main districts on the east side of the mountain to protect people from ash which was projected from the volcano during Saturday eruptions.

During 1994 eruption, 60 residents of Turgo village on the southern side of the volcano's slope were burned to death when their village was hit by hot clouds. (44/edt)