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Indonesian villagers return home despite volcano alert - Mount Merapi
Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 5/14/06 | Tomi Soetjipto

Posted on 05/14/2006 11:55:23 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

PURWOBINAGUN, Indonesia (Reuters) - Dozens of Indonesian villagers returned to their homes on the slopes of Mount Merapi briefly on Sunday despite an official order to evacuate over concerns the dangerous volcano could soon erupt.

Indonesia raised the alert status of Merapi to the highest level, also known as code red or danger status, on Saturday, although experts say they cannot predict when it will erupt.

Thick clouds of charcoal gray smoke billowed periodically from the crater on Sunday, but there were no visible signs of hot lava flowing from Merapi, one of the most menacing volcanoes in the Pacific "Ring of Fire."

The desperately poor villagers left evacuation centres and packed into trucks a day after authorities ordered the compulsory evacuation of thousands of residents living near or along Merapi's fertile slopes.

"Of course, I am afraid. But it is my responsibility to get the milk and cut the grass," said Asmo, an elderly man in a batik shirt standing by a truck near an evacuation center in Purwobinagun village. "A responsibility cannot be abandoned."

Merapi, which means "Mountain of Fire," has been rumbling for weeks and glistening orange lava has flowed occasionally from its crater in recent days.

Experts say the top alert means that technically the mountain could erupt within 24 hours.

The chief of a volcano research center in Yogyakarta said a lava dome had formed in the volcano's crater, but it was difficult to predict when it would collapse. The lava dome could also subside gradually.

"If the new lava dome collapses, it will bring a new catastrophe with the free flowing of lava and the pouring of hot ash and other little material," the chief of the Center of Research, Development and Technology on Volcanoes, Ratmono Purbo, told reporters.

During a 1994 eruption of Merapi, most of the 70 casualties were caused by hot ash and other material following the collapse of a lava dome. The volcano killed 1,300 people in a 1930 eruption.

DAILY CHORES

Despite the warnings, villagers said they had no choice but to head home for a few hours to do their daily chores.

"I've been here for two weeks, and at my home we have two cows and no one is protecting our home. So my husband has to stay back in the village," said Sunarmi, a 36-year-old mother of two in an evacuation camp.

"My husband already knew about the latest (status), but we agreed that it's not time to go down yet."

Authorities evacuated more than 5,000 people living near the volcano to shelters in safe areas after the new alert level.

An official at the Kaliurang observation said lava flow had increased to 2 km (1.2 miles) from the crater of Merapi, which rises above acres of palm and banana trees near the ancient city of Yogyakarta at the center of densely populated Java island.

Officials said it was tough to stop people despite the alert.

"We are not giving any concessions. But we cannot be authoritarian. So we allowed some villagers to go home, but only for a brief time. They are only taking care of their belongings," said the chief of disaster prevention for Sleman regency.

"Those who are staying back have their own sense. Most of them are young men. And in case of an emergency they can go down quite quickly. Perhaps only 15 minutes on a motorbike."

Indonesia, which has the world's highest density of volcanoes, has been struggling to conduct mass evacuation as some villagers living on the slopes refused 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.

Officials put the total number of residents on and near the mountain at around 14,000.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: indonesian; merapi; mount; returnhome; villagers; volcanoalert

Mount Merapi volcano spews a huge cloud of hot gas Sunday, May 14, 2006, as seen from Dukun village in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, Sunday, May 14, 2006. Mount Merapi belched out massive clouds of black smoke and lava flows scorched fresh scars in its slopes, but many villagers ignored warnings of a major eruption and returned home to tend animals and crops. (AP Photo /Purwowiyoto)


Smoke rises from Mount Merapi volcano, as seen from Muntilan district near the city of Magelang, Central Java May 13, 2006. Dozens of Indonesian villagers tried to return to their homes on the slopes of Mount Merapi on Sunday after authorities ordered thousands to evacuate, saying the dangerous volcano could soon erupt. REUTERS/Dwi Oblo


A villager watch Merapi volcano spews a huge cloud of hot gas Sunday, May 14, 2006, as seen from Dukun village in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia, Sunday, May 14, 2006. Mount Merapi belched out massive clouds of black smoke and lava flows scorched fresh scars in its slopes, but many villagers ignored warnings of a major eruption and returned home to tend animals and crops. (AP Photo/Purwowiyoto)

1 posted on 05/14/2006 11:55:25 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge

Indonesians watch as the Merapi volcano releases a huge cloud of hot gas Sunday May 14, 2006 as seen from Pekam village on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province Indonesia. Villages on Mount Merapi were left virtually empty, although some residents returned to its slopes Sunday to tend their animals and crops after officials raised the alert status of the Merapi volcano to the highest level, meaning that an eruption is imminent. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)


Villagers are seen on a truck as they evacuate from Srumbung village, about 6 km (4 miles) from Indonesia's Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, central Java May 14, 2006. Dozens of Indonesian villagers tried to return to their homes on the slopes of Mount Merapi on Sunday despite an official order to evacuate over concerns the dangerous volcano could soon erupt. REUTERS/Dwi Oblo


Mount Merapi spews hot thick smoke, as seen from Srumbung, near the city of Yogyakarta, central Java May 14, 2006. Dozens of Indonesian villagers tried to return to their homes on the slopes of Mount Merapi on Sunday despite an official order to evacuate over concerns the dangerous volcano could soon erupt. REUTERS/Dwi Oblo

2 posted on 05/14/2006 11:59:51 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi)
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To: NormsRevenge
these people have no safety net because they have a government influenced heavily by islam. did you hear about their 8 billion dollar nuclear power plant being built? to have islamic rule seems to be to want death.
3 posted on 05/14/2006 12:02:00 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: kinoxi

Are they building the nuke plant in the volcano? That would help with plant security.


4 posted on 05/14/2006 12:11:57 PM PDT by GSlob
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To: GSlob
yeah molten lava can be quite a deterent ;p... no they're building it on java
5 posted on 05/14/2006 12:17:53 PM PDT by kinoxi
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To: NormsRevenge

Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts with what vulcanologists say is the largest cloud of hot gasses yet Monday, May 15, 2006 in Tunggul Arum on the outskirts of Yogyakarta, the provincial capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Villages on Mount Merapi were left virtually empty, although some residents returned to its slopes Sunday to tend their animals and crops after officials raised the alert status of the Merapi volcano to the highest level, meaning that an eruption is imminent. (AP Photo/Purwowiyoto)

6 posted on 05/14/2006 9:14:17 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi)
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To: NormsRevenge

Indonesia's Merapi volcano releases a huge cloud of hot gas as seen from the Kali Adem village, near Indonesia city of Yogyakarta May 15, 2006. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano spewed lava and hot ash early on Monday, a regional official said, but a volcanologist said he had no confirmation of the report. (Crack Palinggi/Reuters)


7 posted on 05/14/2006 9:15:48 PM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi)
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