Mount Merapi erupts again, lava flows

Tarko Sudiarno, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta

Mount Merapi, an active volcano located on the border of Yogyakarta and Central Java, spewed forth lava and steam again on Wednesday night. But there were no fatalities or damage reported.

The lava erupted from a recently formed crater and ended up in the Rivers Lamat and Senowo in Magelang Regency, Central Java. The eruption lasted for just over an hour from 9:51 p.m. local time to 10:54 p.m.

The moderate eruption was not visible due to a thick layer of cloud cover hovering around the mountain's peak. But the blast was detected by seismographic equipment at the observation post in Babakan, Magelang.

It was the third such eruption this month after two others occurred on Feb. 6 and Feb. 13.

"We can't detect which part of the new crater is sliding," Sunarto, a staff member at the observation post, told The Jakarta Post here on Thursday.

The Volcanology Development and Investigation Agency in Yogyakarta has called on people living on the mountain slope to remain alert.

"We call on villagers, especially those that gather sand from the Rivers Putih and Bebeng (in Magelang Regency), to stop working in the area for at least the next 24 hours due to fears of a major eruption," Sunarto said on Thursday evening.

Subandrio, a staff member with the Volcanology Development and Investigating Agency, said the recent eruptions could be a result of excessive rain which causes pressure in certain areas of the crater.

"We will continue to monitor the mountain's activities during the rainy season because the rainfall surrounding the mountain is above average," he said.