Mt Merapi spews hot clouds

"Large volumes of lava earlier oozed along two kilometers to Gendol river (Sleman district in Yogyakarta)," head of the investigation and development of volcano technology in Yogyakarta, Subandriyo, told ANTARA News here Tuesday night.

He pointed out that the hot clouds burst for the first time after the volcano was declared normally active or at the lowest level since November 12, 2007.

In the middle of 2006, Merapi entered a phase of eruption marked by streams of glowing lava and hot cloud bursts, he said.

The volcano spewed hot clouds triggered by rains on the peak or by a local tectonic quake, he said.