Mount Merapi Erupts, Issuing Safety Alerts for Surrounding Areas
Click to start listening
Jakarta, Jan 10 (NationPress) Mount Merapi, positioned near the bustling city of Yogyakarta, the capital of the Special Region of Yogyakarta Province in Indonesia, erupted hot lava on Friday.
The volcanic activity involved five eruptions, with lava flows reaching heights of up to 1,900 metres. This led the Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Centre to issue a safety warning for local residents.
The identified risks include hot clouds and lava flows. For areas situated to the south and southwest of the crater, these hazards could reach up to 7 km, while the danger zone extends to 3 km in the southeast direction.
Monitoring reports reveal that Mount Merapi is still generating magma, which raises the potential for hot cloud emissions in the impacted areas.
Residents are urged to refrain from activities within these hazardous regions and to stay alert for possible lava floods and hot clouds, especially during heavy rainfall.
With a height of 2,968 metres, Mount Merapi stands as one of Indonesia's 127 active volcanoes, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.
Previously, on October 3, 2024, Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, produced 21 lava flows directed towards the southwest, as reported by the Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre.
The centre has advised against any activities in danger zones that could be impacted by lava flows and hot clouds.
The peril zones extend up to seven kilometres in the south-southwest region and three kilometres to the southeast of the volcano. In case of an explosive eruption, volcanic materials could potentially reach up to three kilometers from the summit.
Mount Merapi, characterized by its volcanic peak, is located near the heart of the island of Java, Indonesia. The volcano lies approximately 20 miles (32 km) north of Yogyakarta and further south of Semarang. Known as Merapi (“Mountain of Fire”), it rises to 9,551 feet (2,911 metres) and is recognized for its steep slopes adorned with thick vegetation on its lower parts. It is the most active among Indonesia’s 130 active volcanoes. One of its largest eruptions occurred in 1006, dispersing ash across central Java. Significant eruptions were also recorded in 1786, 1822, 1872, 1930, and 1976.
