Mount Merapi Volcano Erupts in Indonesia: Thousands Evacuated

by Amy Judd | October 26, 2010 at 09:23 am

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Mount Merapi Volcano Erupted on Tuesday Evening

After the first sign of heat clouds, Mount Merapi finally erupted, causing thousands of residents to evacuate as clouds of ash and rock rained down from the sky. Those living in Sleman and Magelang are most heavily affected.

Reports state that at least 19 people have been killed, and scientists are concerned that the pressure building beneath the lava dome could trigger an even more powerful blast.

The eruption started at around 5:02pm.

"Since appearing at 5:02 and 5:23 p.m. the huge heat clouds have soared high out of the mountain's crater. It means that Mount Merapi has entered the phase of eruption. We do not expect an even larger eruption than this," he said by phone.

Around 6pm, residents heard three explosions according to Al Jazeera English, and volcanic materials were thrown up into the sky, with some traveling as high as 1.5 km.

About 10km around the volcano's base has been designated a danger zone and about 50,000 may have to be evacuated as they live close to the eruption site.

Step Vassen, Al Jazeera's correspondent close to Mount Merapi, said: "There was huge panic of course when the eruption was taking place.

"Two women are in hospital with severe wounds due to the hot gas clouds that came down from the mountain that can reach 600 degrees Celsius, so they are very dangerous.

"Now thousands of people are running away, they are trying to find a safer place. They are going to the refugee centres that have been set up by the government."

Merapi is considered the most active volcano in the country, and it last erupted in 2006 when it sent a mass of pyroclastic ash cascading down the slopes.