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Mount Merapi erupts at last
18/02/2001 13:13 - (SA)
Jakarta - Indonesia's Merapi volcano spewed lava some three kilometres down its western slope and belched heat clouds Sunday,
vulcanologists said as they maintained a top alert warning for the
ninth straight day.
"Activity is still relatively high," vulcanologist Sunarto
told AFP by phone from the Kaliurang Observation Post.
"The volcano is covered in clouds but lava flows can be seen
pouring down the western slope towards the Sat and Senowo rivers."
The potent central Java volcano, which towers over the ancient court city of Yogyakarta, has been on "alert" status, meaning
eruption imminent, since February 10.
"There continue to be lava flows and heat clouds but nothing major
has happened so far," vulcanologist Ratdomoburbo said from the Volcano Research and Development Technology Office in
Yogyakarta.
"The major danger areas are the western slopes," he told AFP by phone.
Sand-miners who ply the Sat and Senowo rivers on the western slopes had begun returning after evacuating the area on February 10, Ratdomoburbo added.
"They're bold but they need the money," he said.
Sunarto said lava flows and heat clouds had been the main activity from Mount Merapi over the weekend.
A total of 26 flows of hot lava and hot clouds were recorded over 20 hours on Saturday, chief vulcanologist Syamsul Rizal told the
state Antara newsagency.
Merapi observers say a major concern is a build-up of millions of
tons of lava in a new dome inside the old crater.
The Indonesian vulcanology office recognises four danger levels for a volcano - normal, beware, be prepared and alert - the last
being the signal for an imminent eruption.
In 1997, heat clouds and ash rain prompted the evacuation of at least 18 000 people. There were no deaths.
When Merapi last erupted in 1994 at least 60 people were killed and
more than 6 000 fled to safer ground.
In the past 70 years Merapi eruptions have killed around 1 300
people. - Sapa-AFP=
- SAPA
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