Mount Merapi highly active

SEMARANG, Central Java: Officials in charge of monitoring the activity of Mount Merapi recorded a total of 187 earthquakes throughout last month.

In June, only 37 quakes were recorded from the volcano which is situated at the border of Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, the Antara news agency reported.

Mas Atje Purbawinata, chief of the Yogyakarta-based agency monitoring Merapi's activity, said that the volcano is still very active and people living in surrounding areas are advised to stay alert.

"We remind the people living in the dangerous areas near the volcano to stay alert for possible outbursts of lava or hot (volcanic ash) clouds," he said.

In its last major eruption in November, Mount Merapi killed almost 60 people, injured several dozen others and displaced more than 2,000 families. (swe)