Volcano obscured by emission

SEMARANG: A thick cloud blanketing Mt. Merapi since Thursday is causing poor visibility and hampering the work of officials at observation posts.

Antara yesterday quoted Sunarto at the Kaliurang observation post as saying that activities of Indonesia's most active volcano could not be monitored visually because the cloud is obscuring the top of the volcano.

"Lava is still streaming down the volcano, but we can only hear it, and we can't estimate how far down it goes," he said.

Data from the Directorate of Volcanology in Yogyakarta said that a thick white sulfuric cloud was discharged from the crater on Thursday with a maximum height of 460 meters.

The authorities declared the volcano's status on Oct. 24 as "alert", the highest warning level, and evacuated hundreds of residents living in the most vulnerable areas. On Nov. 4, following two days of significant decline in volcanic activity, the status was reduced to "preparedness". (swe)