ash clouds
Indonesian volcano Merapi erupted again
Mount Merapi in Indonesia releases volcanic material during an eruption. He is considered the most active in the country. photo
© SLAMET RIYADI/AP
There are around 130 volcanoes in Indonesia. The most active of them, Mount Merapi, which is more than 2900 meters high, has erupted again.
Mount Merapi volcano has erupted on the Indonesian island of Java. He is considered the most active in the country. Around Saturday noon, a hot cloud of ash escaped from the crater for two minutes, the center for volcanology said. In Turgo, a village just five kilometers from the volcano, some residents had taken themselves to safety, according to civil protection. There is no evacuation order yet.
The more than 2900 meter high Merapi is a so-called stratovolcano. When an eruption occurs, a dangerous mix of dust, rock, lava and hot gas often rushes down the slopes. The mountain is about 35 kilometers north of the major city of Yogyakarta.
A severe eruption in 2010 killed more than 340 people and tens of thousands fled. Since the end of 2020, an increased alarm level has been in force again. There are nearly 130 active volcanoes throughout Indonesia. The island nation lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area known for seismic tremors.