KUALA LUMPUR – Indonesia’s Mount Merapi in Sumatra has erupted again this morning, sending more than 150 people fleeing from the nearby villages.
The national meteorology agency reported the volcano first erupted at 6.21am local time (5.21am Malaysian time), sending columns of volcanic ash some 1,300m into the skies.
“People who live near the valley or riverbanks below Merapi’s peak are warned of the threat of the lava that can occur in the rainy season,” it said in a statement.
Last week, Merapi’s alert level was raised to the second highest following increasing volcanic activity. With the new alert level, a 4.5-km radius from the crater must be vacated.
Although villagers are being evacuated, they are allowed to return home during the day to check on their livestock.
As recommended, villagers in the 4.5-km exclusion zone should not stay at home at night.
The local government also distributed free face masks to help avoid respiratory infections due to the volcanic ash.
Merapi had earlier erupted in December, spewing a 3,000m-high ash tower.
A total of 23 people died in the eruption and another died weeks later in hospital.
Merapi is the most active volcano in Sumatra and one of 130 active ones in the Indonesian archipelago. – January 14, 2024