Indonesian volcano Merapi erupted again

In Indonesia the Merapi volcano spits fire again: The mountain, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, erupted again on Friday evening. On Saturday, it continued to eject hot ash and other volcanic material from its interior. Pictures from the state Merapi Observatory showed a glowing lava flow on the mountain and a column of smoke up to 1300 meters high above the mountain.

The authorities called on the population to be on the alert for possible mudslides, especially if it rains on Mount Merapi. The volcano had already erupted the week before, ejecting volcanic material up to 3,000 meters high. At least eight nearby villages were covered in volcanic dust.

The second highest warning level applies

Mount Merapi is located on the island of Java near Indonesia’s cultural capital, Yogyakarta. The second highest warning level has been in effect for the volcano since November 2020. In March 2022, an eruption drove several local residents to flee. The last major eruption of Mount Merapi happened in 2010. At that time, more than 300 people died and around 280,000 residents had to leave their homes. It was the deadliest eruption since the 1930s, when around 1,300 people died.

There are almost 130 active volcanoes in Indonesia. The country in Southeast Asia, which consists of more than 17,000 islands, lies on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet and seismic activity is particularly high. That is why earthquakes are not uncommon in Indonesia, apart from volcanic eruptions.