Posted on 05/16/2006 7:51:53 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia (Reuters) - Lava streamed down the sides of Indonesia's mystical Mount Merapi on Tuesday, but the clouds of hot gas belching from the top were substantially smaller than the day before.
Around the base of the mountain some Indonesians consider sacred, thousands of residents went about their daily lives such as milking cows and collecting grass for feed despite warnings a major eruption could come soon.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, on a visit to the threatened area, urged officials to be persistent in their efforts to move people away from the danger zone and warned residents not to assume their villages were safe.
Vulcanologists said Merapi was in its final eruption phase and feared the possible collapse of a swelling lava dome at the top, which could trigger more massive and dangerous clouds and sprays of lava.
During its last eruption in 1994, most of the 70 deaths were caused by the outpouring of hot ash and other material following the collapse of a lava dome.
When, or if, this might happen again was uncertain, said Triyani, an official at the Center of Vulcanological Research and Technology Development in Yogyakarta near Mount Merapi.
"We cannot predict, because this mountain is unique," she said of the nearly 3,000 meter (10,000 feet) conical-shaped volcano in the center of Java island.
Fiery red lava flows could be seen in the pre-dawn hours on Tuesday, but they were close to the peak and did not threaten populated areas, while the clouds around the summit looked to be about half the size of Monday's, Reuters witnesses said.
No ash falls were reported, unlike Monday when gray ash coated fields and houses near the mountain.
Triyani told Reuters by telephone that the biggest clouds were two kilometres (1.2 miles) in length down the side of the mountain. On Monday the cloud length reached four kilometres.
In 1994, the clouds stretched 6 km before a deadly rain of material fell. The volcano killed 1,300 people in 1930.
CODE RED
At a search and rescue post near the mountain, Yudhoyono was briefed about evacuation efforts, disaster preparations, and the state of the volcano.
"Whatever happens, we are ready to face it. I have learned a lot from past disasters including the tsunami, and from that I can draw that if we conduct very good preparations ... there will be a lot that we can save," Yudhoyono said.
Indonesia was the nation hardest hit by the December 2004 tsunami. Around 170,000 Indonesians were killed or missing.
It raised the alert status of Merapi on Saturday to the highest level, known as code red or danger status, and Yudhoyono said 16,000 people have been evacuated.
But many are reluctant to leave their homes and livelihoods and some who have left return during the day to tend livestock, collect grass, or otherwise carry on their daily routines.
"Today there's only a small cloud, so it is okay. I'm not too afraid," said Lestari, 36, as she emerged from a restricted area around the mountain on Tuesday with a sickle. She said she woke up at four in the morning to cut grass and feed it to her cows.
Slamet Suparno, 43, standing in a rice paddy about eight kilometres from Merapi's crater, told Reuters: "Everything is fine here... I'm just going to start working."
He said he was not afraid of the smoke from the volcano because so far it had not moved toward his village.
Yudhoyono told refugees at one shelter that taking the mountain's course for granted could be risky.
"Better not return in a hurry ... the direction of the shaggy goat can't be ensured," he said, using the Javanese term for the deadly gas clouds. "Suddenly it might turn right or turn left."
Elshinta news radio said the president and his wife would spend the night at a refugee camp.
Vulcanologists say as the clouds emerge from the crater their temperature can approach 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit), although the heat drops rapidly once the gas shoots up into the air.
Merapi, about 450 km (280 miles) east of Jakarta, is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, which sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire."
Some villagers consider the volcano sacred. Yudhoyono said while the government respected the beliefs of people in the area, it also had the responsibility of saving lives.
Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts early Wednesday May 17, 2006 as seen from Cangkringan village near Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Scientists warned that erupting Mount Merapi still posed a deadly threat to villagers living on its lava-scared slopes, even as volcanic activity eased Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Indonesia's Merapi volcano erupts early Wednesday May 17, 2006 as seen from Cangkringan village near Yogyakarta, the capital of Central Java province, Indonesia. Scientists warned that erupting Mount Merapi still posed a deadly threat to villagers living on its lava-scared slopes, even as volcanic activity eased Tuesday. (AP Photo/Ed Wray)
Good volcano photos included.
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Those are great photos, Norm!
Impressive pics!
The Global Warming he caused is heating up the earth underground now. Even the lava is overheating, for pity's sake.
If this isn't grounds for impeachment, I don't know what is.
This is the same oil rich, OPEC, Muslim nation which cheered Iran's visiting fanatical tyrant a few days ago.
Great photos!
I have the Hershey's bark in hand!
The weather here on the PNW coast has been like hot under a heavy fog???
Can the vocanic junk travel?
Heck my client has a PNW Earthquake seminar Thurs. I should step out of bounds of my job as his assist and ask around to the scientist guys about that volcano and it's global ash.
Quick find a Virgin!
J/K
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