Mt. Merapi blows hot air

SEMARANG (JP): Mt. Merapi belched hot air on Saturday, prompting the authorities to renew their alert to the people living on its slope.

The cloud of hot air was seen by monitoring posts in Kaliurang and Babadan, the chief of the Mt. Merapi Watch Station, Mas Atje Purbawinata, said Sunday.

The hot air disappeared with the heavy downpour yesterday morning, Atje said, adding that the danger was not over by any means. "I still appeal to the people to remain vigilant, because killer hot air could come out of the volcano again at any time."

The authorities have slapped an "alert" status on Mt. Merapi, making the people living on the slope and at the foot of the mountain prepare to evacuate at the first sign of an eruption.

Atje said the heavy rain that fell on the volcano over the weekend had brought a new threat to local people: the possibility that lava, which has been piling up on the crater, may crumble and descend the slopes.

The authorities have intensified their monitoring of Mt. Merapi in the past few weeks amid signs of increasing volcanic activity. (har/emb)