Mt. Merapi highly active

Mt. Merapi highly active

YOGYAKARTA, Central Java: The security status of 2,962-meter- high Mount Merapi has been raised from "alert" to "ready" due to its persistent volcanic activity over the past five weeks.

Head of the observatory posts at the volcano, Mas Atje Purbawinata, told The Jakarta Post here on Friday that only three hours after the office declared the change in the mountain's security status, the volcano began spewing clouds of steam and ash.

Atje called on the residents near the mountain to be on the alert and ready to flee from possible floods of lava brought about by continuous rain in the area recently.

Merapi last erupted in 1994, killing 66 people.(mun/31)