Residents warned of cold lava flood

MAGELANG, Central Java (JP): As Merapi volcano showed no signs calming, officials warned yesterday that heavy rains could wash large amounts of cold lava down on residential areas.

The mount continued to gush burning volcanic mud and spew hot clouds of fine ash yesterday, but with lower intensity than in previous days. Officials are maintaining the highest alert because they fear new explosions.

"There is no sign that Merapi will stop vomiting magmatic lava. This condition may worsen any time," said director of volcanology and mineral resources Wimpy S. Tjetjep.

Merapi, bordering Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, erupted on Jan. 17 -- just a day after scientists observing the mount announced that its activity had decreased.

The eruption forced an estimated 18,000 people living in villages at the foot of the mountain to flee their homes. No fatalities have been reported.

Last week's eruption was "a lot bigger" than Merapi's eruption on Nov. 24, 1994 which killed 69 people, permanently disabled 11 and made 5,000 homeless, Wimpy said.

About two million cubic meters of lava had been accumulating on Merapi from last week's eruption compared to one million cubic meters in 1994, he said.

The army had provided a helicopter to monitor volcanic activity, he said, adding that his agency would issue a statement on the disaster this week.

Rains of volcanic ash on Boyolali began to ease yesterday.

It is feared that thousands of people living near the volcano who defied the government's order to evacuate will suffer respiratory problems from volcanic ash.

Officials in Boyolali said they planned to look into this matter. (har/pan)