Space Tycoon
05-14-2006, 07:51 PM
There's a hot time on the ole' town tonight...
Indonesian volcano's activity level rises (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060514/volcano_residents_060514/20060514?hub=TopStories)
Mount Merapi heated up early Monday as the volcano shot out almost-continuous clouds of dangerous hot ash and debris.
On eruption sent ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas almost four kilometres down the mountain's western flank, said Ratdomopurbo, the region's chief volcanologist.
Villagers who had not yet evacuated their homes waited beside the road and told to stand by for possible evacuation.
Some ha returned to their homes Sunday, even as the crater belched smoke, ash, and sent streams of lava flowing down the mountain.
Officials have raised the alert to the highest level, warning that a major eruption could happen at anytime.
The volcano, which has remained relatively inactive in recent years, has rumbled back to life recently, lighting up the night sky with fiery explosions and streams of magma, and sending spectacular clouds of black ash billowing into the sky.
Thousands have already been taken to evacuation centres located outside of the danger zone, but many have ignored the risk, returning to take care of livestock and crops on their farms on the mountainside.
Though an eruption is expected any time, the site -- located about 400 kilometres east of Jakarta -- has drawn scores of curious onlookers.
On Sunday police set up roadblocks to keep vehicles from getting within seven or eight kilometres of the crater, but allowed villagers to return to their homes to care for their farms. Police warned residents to return to safety by nightfall.
About 4,500 of those who are most at risk were evacuated on Saturday, but many young men stayed put.
"I cannot force them," said Widi Sutikno, the official co-ordinating the emergency response. "All I can do is tell them to keep looking up at the mountain and have a motorbike ready."
Experts say an unstable dome of lava is accumulating around the steep rim of the volcano's crater. If it collapses, it will likely cause avalanches of hot lava that reach temperatures of 400 C and travel at more than 100 km/h.
"Hot clouds keep appearing all the time," said Sugiono, a scientist working on the volcano monitoring team. "If you get stuck in them, then you have no chance."
Merapi, one of at least 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, is part of the series of fault lines known as the "Ring of Fire." They stretch from the Western Hemisphere, through Japan and into Southeast Asia.
In 1994, Merapi erupted, emitting a cloud of gas that burned 60 people to death.
Prior to that, Merapi erupted in 1930, claiming 1,300 lives.
Indonesian volcano's activity level rises (http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060514/volcano_residents_060514/20060514?hub=TopStories)
Mount Merapi heated up early Monday as the volcano shot out almost-continuous clouds of dangerous hot ash and debris.
On eruption sent ash, rock fragments and volcanic gas almost four kilometres down the mountain's western flank, said Ratdomopurbo, the region's chief volcanologist.
Villagers who had not yet evacuated their homes waited beside the road and told to stand by for possible evacuation.
Some ha returned to their homes Sunday, even as the crater belched smoke, ash, and sent streams of lava flowing down the mountain.
Officials have raised the alert to the highest level, warning that a major eruption could happen at anytime.
The volcano, which has remained relatively inactive in recent years, has rumbled back to life recently, lighting up the night sky with fiery explosions and streams of magma, and sending spectacular clouds of black ash billowing into the sky.
Thousands have already been taken to evacuation centres located outside of the danger zone, but many have ignored the risk, returning to take care of livestock and crops on their farms on the mountainside.
Though an eruption is expected any time, the site -- located about 400 kilometres east of Jakarta -- has drawn scores of curious onlookers.
On Sunday police set up roadblocks to keep vehicles from getting within seven or eight kilometres of the crater, but allowed villagers to return to their homes to care for their farms. Police warned residents to return to safety by nightfall.
About 4,500 of those who are most at risk were evacuated on Saturday, but many young men stayed put.
"I cannot force them," said Widi Sutikno, the official co-ordinating the emergency response. "All I can do is tell them to keep looking up at the mountain and have a motorbike ready."
Experts say an unstable dome of lava is accumulating around the steep rim of the volcano's crater. If it collapses, it will likely cause avalanches of hot lava that reach temperatures of 400 C and travel at more than 100 km/h.
"Hot clouds keep appearing all the time," said Sugiono, a scientist working on the volcano monitoring team. "If you get stuck in them, then you have no chance."
Merapi, one of at least 129 active volcanoes in Indonesia, is part of the series of fault lines known as the "Ring of Fire." They stretch from the Western Hemisphere, through Japan and into Southeast Asia.
In 1994, Merapi erupted, emitting a cloud of gas that burned 60 people to death.
Prior to that, Merapi erupted in 1930, claiming 1,300 lives.