Mt. Merapi Fig. Mt. Merapi is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes of the world. This is documented by a recording of more than 65 historical eruptions. The gravitational collaps of this dome leads to deadly pyroclastic flows which move downwards with high speed and temperatures up to 400 degrees.
People live even in the dangerous area because of the fertile soils on the flanks.
Around 2 million people live in the surroundings of Mt. Merapi. The photo was taken in a distance of 4 km from the summit, it shows the pyroclastic flow a few seconds after the eruption. 10000 people had to be evacuated because of the ashrain and the pyroclastic flows during the eruption in july 1998. Luckily no deaths were reported. The ash load on the leaves destroyed the crop and the harvest.