Mt. Merapi erupts, 8,000 flee
Mt. Merapi erupts, 8,000 flee
YOGYAKARTA (JP): About 8,000 people were evacuated yesterday
as Mount Merapi erupted, gushing molten lava and spewing heat
clouds of ash over vast areas.
There was no word on casualties but unconfirmed reports said
six people went missing as the alert was raised to the highest
level.
Officials monitoring the 2,968 meter high volcano said two
minor eruptions occurred in the morning and two larger ones
followed in the afternoon.
The molten lava streaming down the mount's slope was clearly
visible from the ancient city of Yogyakarta last night as the
weather was fine.
Officials observing the natural phenomena said burning
volcanic ash shot 4,000 meters into the sky, falling across areas
as far as six kilometers away.
The explosion, that observers say was larger than the one in
1994, affected the nearby regencies of Sleman, Klaten, Boyolali
and Magelang as well as Yogyakarta.
Government officials handling the crisis said over 4,700
people were evacuated from the worst-hit district of Manisrenggo
in Klaten.
Over 3,000 people on the southern slope were moved from
villages nearest the mountain. They were accommodated on safe
ground in Hargobinangun, about 15 kilometers from Merapi.
Residents said the first big bang was heard at about 10:35
a.m. when thick smoke was belching from the mountain dome. The
eruption could be heard from Yogyakarta, about 35 kilometers
south of Merapi.
The second eruption was not quite as forceful. Louder
explosions were heard at 1:45 p.m. and 3 p.m.
An official at the observation post in nearby Kaliurang said
that in one of the eruptions, the thick smoke gushing from the
mountain's peak formed a giant mushroom-shaped cloud with a 4,000
meter diameter.
The burning lava streamed down to the Krasak river on the
western slope and the Bebeng river in the southeast.
Sleman regent Arifin Ilyas said fatalities had not been
reported because people fled their homes as soon as officials
told them to.
An official at the nearby observatory, Dewi told The Jakarta
Post that yesterday's eruptions rivaled the 1994 one, which
claimed 68 lives and forced about 6,000 people to flee from their
villages.
Meanwhile, Pakem district chief Suharjo told the Post that
1000 residents from the east and west Kalibarat villages were
evacuated to Pakembinangun, where Yogyakarta Sultan
Hamengkubuwono X, regent Arifin Ilyas and Sleman chief of police
visited to assess the situation.
The latest report last night said that of the six people
reported missing, five were workers from a drinking water project
on the Kaliboyong river and the other was a farmer.
A 50-year-old grandmother from Kalitengah Lor, identified as
Tukirah, was treated for a broken arm at Yogyakarta's Dr.
Sardjito General Hospital.
Flights
Meanwhile, flights to and from Yogyakarta were not affected by
the eruption, said Garuda Indonesian Airways spokesman Arif
Hardanto.
The air carrier's daily services between Jakarta and
Yogyakarta take place seven times, while daily services between
Jakarta and Semarang run three times a day and services between
Yogyakarta and Denpasar run five times a day.
Merpati Nusantara Airway's spokesman Chairil said daily
services continued, one flight each way between Jakarta and
Yogyakarta.
The last crisis was in August last year when the mountain was
extraordinarily active and nearby residents were placed on
evacuation alert. This activity subsided.
The earliest recorded eruption of the mountain was in 1006,
when it destroyed the Hindu Mataram kingdom. In 1930, 1,369
people were killed and 26 villages buried. (23/har/01)