Indonesia - Mount Merapi volcano erupts: Antara

Thanks. You heard it first on FR...

Antara - Clod of Merapi's lava dome collapses

many others had been defying orders for a mandatory evacuation

Not, good.

Ping

But many others had been defying orders for a mandatory evacuation and were insisting on staying in their homes

Not to worry. FEMA debit cards are on their way.

Muslims from all over the world rushing aid....NOT.

Here we go!

BTW, ya beat...by a long shot...the "Disaster Map" I've been watching for a couple of weeks. I use the map to get the lefties I work with all on board "The Paranoia Express." It's such a hoot to watch them get their panties all knotted up and try to come up with ways to blame everything on W or the US.

prisoner6

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)

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)

Event time in selected time zones:

Mon, 15 May 2006 10:40:00 +1200 (NZST: Pacific/Auckland | New Zealand Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 08:40:00 +1000 (EST: Australia/Sydney | AUS Eastern Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 07:40:00 +0900 (JST: Asia/Tokyo | Tokyo Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 06:40:00 +0800 (WST: Australia/Perth | W. Australia Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 06:40:00 +0800 (HKT: Asia/Hong_Kong)
Mon, 15 May 2006 04:10:00 +0530 (IST: Asia/Calcutta | India Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 02:40:00 +0400 (MSD: Europe/Moscow | Russian Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 01:40:00 +0300 (IDT: Asia/Jerusalem | Israel Time)
Mon, 15 May 2006 00:40:00 +0200 (CEST: Europe/Amsterdam)
Sun, 14 May 2006 23:40:00 +0100 (BST: Europe/London | London Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 22:40:00 +0000 (UT: Universal Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 19:40:00 -0300 (BRT: America/Sao_Paulo | E. South America Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 19:40:00 -0300 (ART: America/Argentina/Buenos_Aires)
Sun, 14 May 2006 18:40:00 -0400 (EDT: America/New_York | Eastern Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 17:40:00 -0500 (CDT: America/Chicago | Central Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 16:40:00 -0600 (MDT: America/Denver | Mountain Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 15:40:00 -0700 (PDT: America/Los_Angeles | Pacific Time)
Sun, 14 May 2006 12:40:00 -1000 (HST: Pacific/Honolulu | Hawaiian Time)

Deadly heat clouds descend from Indonesian volcano

MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia (AFP) - Deadly heat clouds tumbled further down the slopes of Indonesia's Mount Merapi as the volcano's activity increased ahead of a feared eruption, an official said.

"Between midnight and 6:00 am (1700 and 2300 GMT Sunday) there have been 88 outflows of heat clouds," said Jilal from the vulcanology office in Yogyakarta, a major city lying 30 kilometres (18 miles) south of the smouldering peak.

"The heat clouds have now reached a distance of two to three and a half kilometres (one to two miles) down the slope, following the course of Kali Krasak River," he said, referring to an area along the southwestern slope of the volcano in densely-populated Central Java province.

He said, however, that this was still not considered an eruption of the volcano, which was put on its highest alert status on Saturday, triggering the evacuation of thousands of people from its fertile slopes.

"It is only a sign of extraordinary activity," he said.

Blazing lava has also been oozing down the slopes of Merapi, whose name means "Mountain of Fire", but many villagers have been defying orders for a mandatory evacuation and are insisting on staying in their homes.

Officials have not released overall figures for the number of people who are considered to be in the immediate danger zone, but Vice President Yusuf Kalla said last week that about 34,000 were considered to be at risk.

Scientists have said that Merapi, a 2,914-meter (9,560-foot) peak, is likely to erupt when a new lava dome that has been rapidly forming at its peak collapses, spewing lava as well as heat clouds.

Heat clouds, known locally as "shaggy goats", consist of volcanic gases, ash and dust, and reach temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius (930 degrees Fahrenheit). They killed 66 people during Merapi's last eruption in 1994.

May God help those who could not help themselves.

I think somebody else posteda version of this to the main forum. This one is a bit different and makes note of how the "Keeper" is a devout muslim.

For those who don't want to read the entire article, here are a couple of excerpts I found particularly interesting.

Maridjan is a self-described follower of Islam -- in fact his house is a meeting point to learn the holy Quran in his village. Like him, most Javanese, who make up the bulk of Indonesia's 220 million people, are Muslims who cling to an ancient spiritual past.

Chain-smoking a Western brand of cigarette, Maridjan, often referred to as "Mbah" (leader), dismissed any suggestions the volcano -- already on the highest level of alert -- will erupt soon, despite huge clouds of hot gas billowing from the 3,000-metre (9,800 feet) volcano and the lava domes forming on its crater.

Maridjan is a symbol to villagers around Merapi, where Javanese mysticism and age-old traditions are defying logic and science.

And the article...

Keeper of the mysterious Merapi defies warning

Mount Merapi (ANTARA News) - A pink bandana tied around his head and wearing a football T-shirt, 80-year-old Maridjan may cut an eccentric figure, but his views are key to whether people leave the slopes of Indonesia's most dangerous volcano.

Scientists say Mount Merapi could erupt massively at anytime and government officials have told residents in its vicinity to evacuate. But Maridjan is the spiritual keeper of the mountain and the cheery old man doesn't think the worst will happen soon.

Chain-smoking a Western brand of cigarette, Maridjan, often referred to as "Mbah" (leader), dismissed any suggestions the volcano -- already on the highest level of alert -- will erupt soon, despite huge clouds of hot gas billowing from the 3,000-metre (9,800 feet) volcano and the lava domes forming on its crater.

Maridjan is a symbol to villagers around Merapi, where Javanese mysticism and age-old traditions are defying logic and science.

He was assigned by the previous ruler of Yogyakarta, the late Sri Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX, as keeper of the mountain to look after the safety of villagers and Merapi's surroundings.

"Journalists have asked me 'When do you think Merapi will erupt' and I said why do you always expect the worst from Merapi. Why can't you hope for the best? Merapi is giving so much blessing to the residents," Maridjan told Reuters in Javanese, his mother tongue.

His village in Kinahrejo lies just about six km (four miles) from Merapi's peak, well within the mandatory evacuation area. But his refusal to leave has prompted other residents to stay in the village, where natural omens and spiritual insight from Maridjan are valued more highly than vulcanologists' findings.

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

Trusted by the Sultan

Although the governor of Yogyakarta, Hamengkubuwono X, the direct descendant of the Hamengkubuwono IX, has ordered mandatory evacuation, Maridjan insisted that he has been trusted by the late Sultan to "keep" Merapi and he vowed not break the duty as long as there is no sign to break that pledge.

Maridjan is a self-described follower of Islam -- in fact his house is a meeting point to learn the holy Quran in his village. Like him, most Javanese, who make up the bulk of Indonesia's 220 million people, are Muslims who cling to an ancient spiritual past.

Several top local government officials, including police and military chiefs, have been persuading him -- without succcess so far -- to leave his village.

During an interview with Reuters on Sunday, a local police chief along with other officials visited Maridjan and expressed concerns over his safety.

Maridjan diverted the conversation to talk about the importance of learning English and his lack of education qualifications.

"He is a revered figure here," Bejo Mulyo, the local district chief told Reuters. "If he goes down (the mountain), then many villagers would follow him."

His influence is quite apparent in his village of 500 people, most of whom have not evacuated.

Approached by Reuters, a woman in her 50s and carrying about 20 kg (44 lb) of grass on her back said she was not afraid of an eruption.

"Mbah hasn't said so," said the woman laughing, flashing yellow, stained teeth as she walked past Maridjan's house.

Suranto, 25, said he would follow Maridjan if he goes down from the mountain.

"But I think this is quite okay," he said next to a pile of jackfruit leaves that are feed for his two cows. As a villager on Merapi, he is quite used to the "character" of the volcano and so far the mountain hasn't given worrying signs, he said.

Back in Maridjan's house, a call for noon prayer from a nearby mosque broke the conversation.

Maridjan soon changed into a crisp batik and a sarong with matching black Muslim cap. He asked his guests to perform a communal prayer at the mosque.

"Most important is to pray," he said walking towards the mosque. Don't forget to pray. Pray for the safety and pray for Merapi to calm down."

wow

Guess milking the cows and cutting the grass don't matter now....for those who stayed home because of chores.

Allahu Akbar?

Semper Fi

You just know I was thinking about you when I read this; it sounds horrible.

Thank God we're smarter and don't cling to ancient beliefs!

Should we have a volcano in our back yard , and it threatened to erupt, (knock on wood) we would have the sense to evacuate!...