Indonesia volcano on "danger" status Options

[Ben]

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesia raised the alert status of the Mount Merapi volcano to the highest level on Saturday, prompting a compulsory evacuation of thousands of residents living on the slopes, officials said.

"This morning we raised the status of Merapi to the top alert, which is the red code. Every resident has been ordered to evacuate," Subandrio, head of the Merapi section at the Center for Volcanological Research and Technology Development, told Reuters.

Residents said they could see lava flowing and thick smoke rising from Merapi, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" that has been rumbling for weeks.

"I could see the lava clearly from my home this morning. Then they ordered us to evacuate our village," said Anton, a 25-year-old resident of Boyong village, around 8 km (5 miles) from Merapi.

Television footage showed lava flowing out of the crater while thick clouds of smoke rose upwards and a large fireball burst into the night sky.

Despite the increased seismic activity and the lava which had flowed around 1.6 km (1 mile) from the volcano's crater, Subandrio could not say when the volcano was likely to erupt.

Dali, another vulcanologist, told Reuters the top alert -- also known as code red or 'danger' status -- meant that technically the mountain could erupt within the next 24 hours.

Merapi, which means "Mountain of Fire," lies near the ancient city of Yogyakarta at the center of densely populated Java island. It killed 70 people in a 1994 eruption and 1,300 in 1930.

ARMY AND POLICE INVOLVED

Government officials along with army and police evacuated more than 5,000 people living near the volcano to tents and shelters in safe areas following the new alert level.

"Everything ran smoothly, just like the exercises we used to have before. They have evacuated us to the village office," one local resident told Reuters by telephone.

The local government has been struggling to conduct mass evacuation as some villagers living on the slopes refuse to be moved because they rely on natural signs rather official orders.

Residents say signals would include lightning around the mountain's peak or animals moving down its slopes.

"We have prepared tents and shelters for 5,000 people. Most villagers have been notified about the latest status," Susilo Purwanto, an official at the disaster management unit in Sleman regency near Merapi, told Reuters.

Another official at a Merapi evacuation post said the evacuation process was going according to plan.

"So far, we have not faced any significant problem during the evacuation process. We are first evacuating the elderly and children," Hery Prawoto told Reuters.

"We got a lot of help from the military and local businesses."

Television footage showed woman and children being moved in trucks, with their belongings wrapped in bundles of cloth.

Indonesia, which has the world's highest density of volcanoes, had already moved thousands of people away from Merapi, but officials put the total number of residents on and near the mountain at around 14,000.

Most Javanese villagers consider the mountain sacred. Every year a priest climbs to the top to make an offering.

Many Indonesians also see activity in Mount Merapi as an omen of looming political unrest. Merapi is also close to Borobudur, a 1,200-year-old temple complex that is one of Indonesia's most famous tourist sites.

Thousands of villagers were evacuated in January 1997 when Merapi became active, just months before the Asian financial crisis struck.

Most Javanese, who make up the bulk of Indonesia's 220 million people, are Muslim, but many cling to a spiritual past and believe a supernatural kingdom exists on top of Merapi.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060513/ts_nm/...ia_volcano_dc_5

[purple]

THE Ben posting in OUR indonesian forum? are my eyes deceiving me??



Dali, another vulcanologist, told Reuters the top alert -- also known as code red or 'danger' status -- meant that technically the mountain could erupt within the next 24 hours.

OH NO!

Residents said they could see lava flowing and thick smoke rising from Merapi, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" that has been rumbling for weeks.

how dangerous?


Most Javanese, who make up the bulk of Indonesia's 220 million people, are Muslim, but many cling to a spiritual past and believe a supernatural kingdom exists on top of Merapi.

oh dear

[Aranadhel]

THE Ben posting in OUR indonesian forum? are my eyes deceiving me??
Dali, another vulcanologist, told Reuters the top alert -- also known as code red or 'danger' status -- meant that technically the mountain could erupt within the next 24 hours.

OH NO!

Residents said they could see lava flowing and thick smoke rising from Merapi, one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" that has been rumbling for weeks.

how dangerous?
Most Javanese, who make up the bulk of Indonesia's 220 million people, are Muslim, but many cling to a spiritual past and believe a supernatural kingdom exists on top of Merapi.

oh dear

wht do you care?

[purple]

my family is there OK?? you are judgemental and insensitive! thank YOU for ruining my evening!

[Aranadhel]

my family is there OK?? you are judgemental and insensitive! thank YOU for ruining my evening!

sorry neng.. ngga tau koq.. I wish your family over there are safe...

[testcubaanujian]

sorry neng.. ngga tau koq.. I wish your family over there are safe...

amin

[tangawizi]

Merapi is near where the Borobodur is situated. The giant monument was covered by the volcanic lava of Merapi for centuries before being discovered in the 19th century.

[han2]

@purple --- I sincerely wish that your family has been evacuated safely.

This post has been edited by han2: May 13 2006, 10:23 AM

[Majapahitans]

Merapi Volcano is responsible on destroying the ancient capital of Mataram Kingdom.
The kingdom that built Borobudur and Prambanan temple.


The view of Merapi volcano from Prambanan temple.

The eruption swept the ancient capital with pyroclastic wave, hot lava, and lahar (cold lava with mud).
The celebrated capital of Mataram sugested to be at the area now known as Prambanan and Klaten distric.



One of hundreds Buddhas on Borobudur Arupadhatu terrace, overlook the Merapi Volcano for over a millenia.



The view of Merapi volcano from Borobudur Stupas.

Many expert believe (although still disputable) the massive Merapi eruption took place on September 1006. Guess what, it's a millenia ago.
Could this means the historic Merapi Great eruption will happen again in our time....?
The catastrophy simply destroy the capital. Thus bringing the end to Mataram Sanjaya-Syailendra dynasty. The capital move eastward by Mpu Sindok, his reign marks the new Isyana dynasty.

Here's the example of Merapi eruption effect.



Sambisari Temple (From the 10th Century)

This Shiva temple was discovered in 1966, located about twelve kilometers east of Yogyakarta, on the north of the main road between Yogyakarta and Solo. The temple is very unique. It was covered by volcanic ash and dust because of the eruption of mount Merapi in 1006 and became buried six and a half meters below the surface of surrounding land but remained in perfect condition.

This post has been edited by Majapahitans: May 13 2006, 01:06 PM

[Aranadhel]

my family is there OK?? you are judgemental and insensitive! thank YOU for ruining my evening!

bukan your whole family in australia?

[furansizuka]

hopes everything will be alrite. The government has done everything they could to avoid victims. The Sultan has announced danger status yesterday.

[XxRyoChanxX]

wow I been seeing pics of merapi all over the internet

[malaccan]

Merapi Volcano is responsible on destroying the ancient capital of Mataram Kingdom.
The kingdom that built Borobudur and Prambanan temple.


The view of Merapi volcano from Prambanan temple.

The eruption swept the ancient capital with pyroclastic wave, hot lava, and lahar (cold lava with mud).
The celebrated capital of Mataram sugested to be at the area now known as Prambanan and Klaten distric.

I had no idea that it's Gunung Merapi in the background! The news on tv mentioned that a 12km restriction zone around the volcano has been put in place. I hope enough. What must it be like to live near an active volcano? Just a rhethorical question.

[Astromantic]

I hope Borobudur isn't gonna collapse.

[han2]

Hopefully there'll be very minimal/no loss of human life, even if it does erupt.

[Astromantic]

Everyone there should be evicted.

[Nusantara]

If city of Magelang declared safe so Borobudur should be safe, the distance of mount Merapi to Borobudur equal to distance of Mount merapi to heart city of Magelang, around 26 kms.

[haqine]

THE Ben posting in OUR indonesian forum? are my eyes deceiving me??

me too...

Hopefully there'll be very minimal/no loss of human life, even if it does erupt.

Amin...

[flipcombatmedic]

i hope people will be okay. what's the emergency protocol being done?

[TonyL]

Netherlands news just showed the lava streams etc. Many Dutch-Indo mixed incl. me, have anchestry from that region so we are with you.


^ Merapi and Buddha 'by night'.

This post has been edited by TonyL: May 15 2006, 09:19 AM