Indonesian Volcano Releases Biggest Eruption Indonesian Volcano Releases Biggest Eruption November 02, 2010 8:00 PM An Indonesian man watches as Mount Merapi erupts in Kepuharjo, Yogyakarta, 3 Nov. 2010. Share Email to a Friend Print Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupted with renewed force Wednesday, prompting evacuations of residents from emergency shelters to locations even further from the volcano. Indonesian government volcanologist Surano said Wednesday's eruption was three times more powerful than Merapi's first blast on October 26. The volcano sent hot ash and rocks five kilometers into the sky, forcing authorities to widen the evacuation zone around the mountain from 10 kilometers to 15 kilometers. The new eruption happened as Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visited emergency shelters housing 70,000 evacuees from earlier eruptions. Surano said shelters within the expanded danger zone will be moved further away. It may be weeks before the evacuees can return to their homes. Mount Merapi's eruptions have killed at least 38 people, most from burns and suffocation.

There was no immediate word of any casualties from Wednesday's blast. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. Indonesia: Mt. Merapi Volcano - Oct 2010 | ReliefWeb Indonesia: Mt. Merapi Volcano - Oct 2010 Glide: VO-2010-000214-IDN Overview On 25 October 2010, seismic activity developed into the eruption of Mt.) Merapi. It was followed by an earthquake and tsunami approximately 70 km from the Mentawai Islands. The eruption left 34 people dead, and displaced more than 70,000 people. ( IFRC, 3 Nov 2010 ) A further eruption on 1 November 2010 resulted in 360,557 displaced and 577 injured people. ( IFRC, 30 Sep 2011 ) Pyroclastic materials and cold lava flows destroyed thousands of houses and the surrounding area.

( World Bank, 29 Dec 2010 ) Between the Merapi volcanic eruption and the Mentawai earthquake and tsunami, approximately 103,750 people were in need of support. The IFRC launched an emergency appeal to support the Indonesian Red Cross in their response. ( IFRC, 26 Apr 2011 ) This emergency appeal received a total income of CHF 3,091,118 (with an expenditure of CHF 2,814,292) and was closed on 30 September 2011. ( IFRC, 30 Sep 2011 ) Affected countries ? Refine the results by adding specific criteria. Select an operator. Use "WITH" and "WITHOUT" operators to create a new group. Select a category, then start typing a word to see the suggestions. Click or press enter to select the suggestion. Once finished, click "Apply options" to launch the search. Optional: click on an operator to choose a different one. Optional: drag and drop criteria to reorganize the selection. Optional: press "backspace" to remove the last criterion.

Optional: double click on a criterion to remove it. List Mount Merapi's eruptions - Photos - The Big Picture - Boston.com Mount Merapi's eruptions Since its initial eruptions on October 25th, Indonesia's Mount Merapi continues to spew hot gases and ash as far as 5,000 meters into the atmosphere, wreaking havoc on surrounding villages and farms, and disrupting air travel - and more than 140 people have been killed by the eruptions over the past two weeks. Hundreds of thousands of residents have been displaced, many of them living in temporary shelters until the Indonesian government reduces the existing 20 km "safe zone", and allows them and their livestock to return. Collected here are recent images from the area near the unpredictable Mount Merapi as it still rumbles and erupts. ( 39 photos total ) A farmer stands in a rice field as volcanic material from Mount Merapi erupts, in Klaten, Central Java on November 4, 2010 near Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Over 70,000 people have now been evacuated with the danger zone being extended to over 15km as the volcano continues to spew ash and volcanic material. (Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) At least 25 killed as Indonesian volcano erupts - World news - Asia-Pacific | NBC News Advertise Volcanic ash from the Mount Merapi volcano covers a dead farm animal in the Indonesian village of Cangkringan on Nov. 14. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation A classroom of a school remains covered with volcanic ash due to the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia, on Nov. 14. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Workers clear volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Merapi volcano covering the Borobudur Temple in Muntilan of Indonesia's central Java province on November 13. (Sigit Pamungkas / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Mount Merapi volcano erupts, as seen from Mungkid village in Magelang in Indonesia's central Java province on Nov. 13.

(Andry Prasetyo / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Indonesian army soldiers search for victims of the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia on Nov. 13. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Children play on used clothes which will be distributed to evacuees at a temporary shelter for those affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 10, 2010. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Indonesian soldiers search for victims killed in the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia, on Nov. 10, 2010. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Search and rescue team members from Yogyakarta carry a victim of Merapi volcano's eruption in Sleman on November 8, 2010. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Motorists ride on a road covered with ash as Mount Merapi spews volcanic material into the air near Wukirsari, Indonesia, Monday, Nov. 8.

(AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise A farmer walks through his corn field covered in volcanic ash in Muntilan, Indonesia on, Nov. 8. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Muntilan, Magelang, in Indonesia, is covered with ash from Mount Merapi’s eruption, Nov. 8. International flights to Indonesia's capital Jakarta returned to normal Monday, officials said, a day ahead of a visit by US President Barack Obama. (Sonny Tumbelaka / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volunteers rescue burned victims of the Mount Merapi eruption on Nov. 5 in Argomulyo village,which was devastated by deadly clouds of volcanic ash. (Susanto / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Lightning strikes as Mount Merapi erupts, spewing towering clouds of hot gas and debris, as seen from Ketep village in Indonesia's central Java province on Nov. 6. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation An elderly woman with injuries sustained from Mount Merapi's latest eruption arrives at Sarjito hospital in Yogyakarta Nov. 5.

(Dwi Oblo / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation A woman prays in a temporary shelter at Maguwoharjo Stadium in Yogyakarta, Nov. 5. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Editor's note: This image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. Click to view the image, or use the buttons above to navigate away. Victims of Mount Merapi eruption lie covered in volcanic ash as rescuers search for others in a village that was hit by pyroclastic flow in Argomulyo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Nov. 5. A deadly surge of blistering gases cascaded down the slopes of Indonesia's most volatile volcano Friday, torching houses in one mountainside village and triggering a chaotic midnight evacuation. (Gembong Nusantara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Kitchen utensils are covered with volcanic ash in the village of Argomulyo on Nov. 5. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise An Indonesian policeman pats a surviving monkey after the village was sweept by Mount Merapi's 'Wedus Gembel' hot gas clouds, Cangkringan, Indonesia on Nov.

5. (Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation A view from a domestic flight from Denpasar to Yogyakarta shows a plume of gas and ash billowing some six miles high from the Mount Merapi volcano during an eruption on November 4. Volcanologists said the "high intensity" eruption was the strongest yet from the 9,616-foot Mount Merapi. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Residents flee on motorcycle under volcanic ash fall during evacuation from a village in Klaten district, Nov. 3, after Mount Merapi erupted. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano exploded in a frightening new eruption of lava and red-hot rocks Wednesday, sparking panic and forcing the government to order new evacuations. Scientists said the 9,616-foot mountain in central Java erupted with more force than last week's blasts that killed 36 people, spewing huge clouds of searing gas into the sky. (Farras / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation An Indonesian woman cries as volcano Merapi erupts in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia, Nov. 3.

Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted again with renewed strength in its fourth eruption in eight days, as most villagers had already evacuated the area. At least 38 people were killed when the volcano first erupted last week, and about 70,000 people fled to shelters. (Mohammad Ali / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Mount Merapi volcano spews smoke as seen from Sidorejo village in Klaten, near the ancient city of Yogyakarta, on Nov. 3. The latest eruption was the biggest yet, causing evacuees to move their shelters even further from the mountain. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volcanic ash emits steam on a channel near the slope of Mount Merapi in the Sleman district on Nov. 3. (Sonny Tumbelaka / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation A young boy looks out from a truck window as they evacuate Umbulharjo village to a safer place on Nov. 3. (Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise People evacuate from Umbulharjo village, Sleman, Indonesia, as Mount Merapi erupts on Nov. 3.

(Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation People watch Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials in Deles on Nov. 2. (Binsar Bakkara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Residents of Balerante village prepare to flee, Nov. 1, as Mount Merapi spews smoke and ash. Indonesia's most active volcano claimed at least 36 lives the week before. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Villagers escorted by police carry a suspected looter caught in an abandoned village on Nov. 1 near Mount Merapi. (Arya Bima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation This cemetery in Kinah Rejo is seen covered with ash on Oct. 28. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Police officers and volunteers carry the coffin of a victim of the Mount Merapi eruption during a mass burial in Sleman on Oct. 28. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volunteers search for victims of the Mount Merapi eruption at Kinahrejo village on Oct. 27.

(Ulet Ifansasti / Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Indonesian women weep after learning that their relatives were killed in the Mount Merapi eruption on Oct. 27. (Irwin Fedriansyah / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volcanic ash covers the interior of a house in a village badly hit by the Mount Merapi eruption on Oct. 27. (Gembong Nusantara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Residents displaced by the eruption of Mount Merapi queue for food in Sleman on Oct. 27. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Indonesia volcano burns whole villages - TODAY News - TODAY.com Indonesia volcano burns whole villages 'The heat surrounded us and there was white smoke everywhere' Below: Advertise Irwin Ferdiansyah / AP Villagers carry a woman as they flee their homes following another eruption of Mount Merapi in Klaten, Indonesia, Friday.

updated 11/5/2010 9:28:32 PM ET 2010-11-06T01:28:32 + - MOUNT MERAPI, Indonesia — A surge of searing gas raced down the sides of Mount Merapi on Friday, smothering houses, cattle and villagers in its path. The death toll after the volcano's largest eruption in a century soared to 122. The worst hit village of Bronggang lay nine miles (15 kilometers) from the fiery crater, just on the perimeter of the government-delineated "danger zone." Crumpled roofs, charred carcasses of cattle and broken chairs — all layered in white ash and soot — dotted the smoldering landscape. The zone has since been expanded to a ring 12 miles (20 kilometers) from the peak, bringing it to the edge of the ancient royal capital of Yogyakarta, which has been put on its highest alert. Sri Sucirathasri said her family had stayed in their Bronggang home Thursday night because they hadn't been told to leave.

They awoke in the dark as the mountain let out thunderous claps and tried desperately to outrun the flows, which reached speeds of 60 mph (100 kph), on a motorbike. Her mother, father and 12-year-old sister, Prisca, left first, but with gray ash blocking out any light, they mistakenly drove into — rather than away from — the volcano's dangerous discharge. Olympic construction leaves Sochi residents in the cold The 18-year-old Sri went looking for them when she heard her mother's screams, leaving at home an older sister, who died when the house became engulfed in flames. "It was a safe place. There were no signs to evacuate," said Sri, a vacant gaze fixed on Prisca, whose neck and face are burned a shiny ebony, her features nearly melted away. Their mother is still missing. Their father, whose feet and ankles are burned, is being treated in another ward. Most popular "I don't know what to say," she whispers when asked if she blames officials for not warning the family. "Angry at who? I'm just sad. And very sick." Merapi's latest round of eruptions began Oct.

26, followed by more than a dozen other powerful blasts and thousands of tremors. With each new eruption, scientists and officials have steadily pushed the villagers who live along Merapi's fertile slopes farther from the crater. But after initially predicting earlier eruptions would ease pressure under the magma dome, experts who have spent a lifetime studying the volcano now say the don't know what to expect. Scientists can study the patterns of volcanoes, but their eruptions are essentially unpredictable, as Merapi's increasingly intense blasts have proved. Stories from Kylie Jenner's Lip Kit Is Ruining Lives (According to the Internet, Anyway) On Friday, the towering plumes of ash rained dust on windshields of cars 300 miles (480 kilometers) away, although a rain near the mountain in the afternoon turned much of it to sludge. Bursts of hot clouds occasionally interrupted aid efforts, with rescuers screaming, "Watch out!

Hot cloud!" Video: Death toll soars from Indonesian volcano (on this page) The eruption released 1,765 million cubic feet (50 million cubic meters) of volcanic material, making it "the biggest in at least a century," said state volcanologist Gede Swantika as plumes of smoke continued to shoot up more than 30,000 feet (10,000 meters). Soldiers pulled at least 78 bodies from homes and streets blanketed by ash up to a foot (30 centimeters) deep Friday, raising the overall toll to 122, according to the National Disaster Management Agency. With bodies found in front of houses and in streets, it appeared that many of the villagers died from the blistering gas while trying to escape, said Col. Tjiptono, a deputy police chief. "The heat surrounded us and there was white smoke everywhere," said Niti Raharjo, 47, who was thrown from his motorbike along with his 19-year-old son while trying to flee. Slideshow: Indonesian eruption (on this page) "There was an explosion ... and it got worse, the ash and debris raining down," he said from a hospital.

The living — with clothes, blankets and even mattresses fused to their skin by the 1,400-degree Fahrenheit (750-degree Celsius) heat — were carried away on stretchers following the first big explosion just before midnight. Advertise More than 150 injured people — with burns, respiratory problems, broken bones and cuts — waited to be treated at the tiny Sardjito hospital, where the bodies piled up in its morgue, and two other hospitals. Despite being at the foot of Indonesia's deadliest volcano, Yogyakarta has only one burn unit — at Sardjito. The facility is limited to 10 beds, though, and so turns away any patient without facial burns or whose body is burned less than 40 percent, according to Sigit Priohutomo, a senior official at Sardjito. "We're totally overwhelmed here!" hospital spokesman Heru Nogroho said. More than 100,000 people living on the mountain have been evacuated to crowded emergency shelters, many by force, in the last week. Some return to their villages during lulls in activity, however, to tend to their livestock. They were told to stay away Friday.

The government also announced an $11 million program to buy the cows on the mountain to keep farmers off its slopes, and to provide compensation for animals lost in the eruptions. Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 235 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanoes because it sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped string of faults that lines the Pacific Ocean. While Friday's explosion was the largest in volume in a century, an eruption at Merapi in 1930 killed many more — 1,300. Even that toll pales in comparison to other volcanoes in the region: Indonesia's Krakatoa killed at least 36,000 people in 1883, in an eruption that could be heard 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) away and blackened skies region-wide for months. When the Philippines' Mount Pinatubo exploded in 1991 after a 500-year slumber, about 800 people died as the billions of tons of volcanic debris poured from the cone, erasing entire farm communities and altering the world's climate.

The May 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens caused the volcano's north flank to collapse, triggering the largest landslide ever recorded. The blast killed 57 people, flattened 230 square miles (596 square kilometers) of forests and blew 1,300 feet (400 meters) off the peak. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. People.com Related slideshows Mount Merapi volcano spews ash as a villager collects her valuables from the ruins of her house at Kali Tengah village in Sleman, near Yogyakarta on Monday, November 15, 2010. Mount Merapi volcano, on the outskirts of Yogyakarta city in central Java, began spewing searing hot gas and ash clouds more than two weeks ago, and has killed close to a hundred people, disrupted flights and displaced more than 320,000 people. (Sigit Pamungkas / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation A man cleans the roof of his house from volcanic ash folllowing the eruption of Mount Merapi in Muntilan, Indonesia, on Nov. 15.

(Slamet Riyadi / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Volcanic ash from the Mount Merapi volcano covers a dead farm animal in the Indonesian village of Cangkringan on Nov. 14. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation A classroom of a school remains covered with volcanic ash due to the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia, on Nov. 14. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Workers clear volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Merapi volcano covering the Borobudur Temple in Muntilan of Indonesia's central Java province on November 13. (Sigit Pamungkas / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Mount Merapi volcano erupts, as seen from Mungkid village in Magelang in Indonesia's central Java province on Nov. 13. (Andry Prasetyo / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Indonesian army soldiers search for victims of the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia on Nov. 13.

(AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Children play on used clothes which will be distributed to evacuees at a temporary shelter for those affected by the eruption of Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, on Nov. 10, 2010. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Indonesian soldiers search for victims killed in the eruption of Mount Merapi in Cangkringan, Indonesia, on Nov. 10, 2010. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Search and rescue team members from Yogyakarta carry a victim of Merapi volcano's eruption in Sleman on November 8, 2010. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Motorists ride on a road covered with ash as Mount Merapi spews volcanic material into the air near Wukirsari, Indonesia, Monday, Nov. 8. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise A farmer walks through his corn field covered in volcanic ash in Muntilan, Indonesia on, Nov. 8. (AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Muntilan, Magelang, in Indonesia, is covered with ash from Mount Merapi’s eruption, Nov. 8.

International flights to Indonesia's capital Jakarta returned to normal Monday, officials said, a day ahead of a visit by US President Barack Obama. (Sonny Tumbelaka / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volunteers rescue burned victims of the Mount Merapi eruption on Nov. 5 in Argomulyo village,which was devastated by deadly clouds of volcanic ash. (Susanto / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Lightning strikes as Mount Merapi erupts, spewing towering clouds of hot gas and debris, as seen from Ketep village in Indonesia's central Java province on Nov. 6. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation An elderly woman with injuries sustained from Mount Merapi's latest eruption arrives at Sarjito hospital in Yogyakarta Nov. 5. (Dwi Oblo / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation A woman prays in a temporary shelter at Maguwoharjo Stadium in Yogyakarta, Nov. 5. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Editor's note: This image contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing. Click to view the image, or use the buttons above to navigate away.

Victims of Mount Merapi eruption lie covered in volcanic ash as rescuers search for others in a village that was hit by pyroclastic flow in Argomulyo, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Nov. 5. A deadly surge of blistering gases cascaded down the slopes of Indonesia's most volatile volcano Friday, torching houses in one mountainside village and triggering a chaotic midnight evacuation. (Gembong Nusantara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Kitchen utensils are covered with volcanic ash in the village of Argomulyo on Nov. 5. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise An Indonesian policeman pats a surviving monkey after the village was sweept by Mount Merapi's 'Wedus Gembel' hot gas clouds, Cangkringan, Indonesia on Nov. 5. (Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation A view from a domestic flight from Denpasar to Yogyakarta shows a plume of gas and ash billowing some six miles high from the Mount Merapi volcano during an eruption on November 4.

Volcanologists said the "high intensity" eruption was the strongest yet from the 9,616-foot Mount Merapi. (Clara Prima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Residents flee on motorcycle under volcanic ash fall during evacuation from a village in Klaten district, Nov. 3, after Mount Merapi erupted. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano exploded in a frightening new eruption of lava and red-hot rocks Wednesday, sparking panic and forcing the government to order new evacuations. Scientists said the 9,616-foot mountain in central Java erupted with more force than last week's blasts that killed 36 people, spewing huge clouds of searing gas into the sky. (Farras / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation An Indonesian woman cries as volcano Merapi erupts in Klaten, Central Java, Indonesia, Nov. 3. Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano erupted again with renewed strength in its fourth eruption in eight days, as most villagers had already evacuated the area. At least 38 people were killed when the volcano first erupted last week, and about 70,000 people fled to shelters.

(Mohammad Ali / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Mount Merapi volcano spews smoke as seen from Sidorejo village in Klaten, near the ancient city of Yogyakarta, on Nov. 3. The latest eruption was the biggest yet, causing evacuees to move their shelters even further from the mountain. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volcanic ash emits steam on a channel near the slope of Mount Merapi in the Sleman district on Nov. 3. (Sonny Tumbelaka / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation A young boy looks out from a truck window as they evacuate Umbulharjo village to a safer place on Nov. 3. (Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise People evacuate from Umbulharjo village, Sleman, Indonesia, as Mount Merapi erupts on Nov. 3. (Adi Weda / EPA) Share Back to slideshow navigation People watch Mount Merapi spewing volcanic materials in Deles on Nov. 2. (Binsar Bakkara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Residents of Balerante village prepare to flee, Nov.

1, as Mount Merapi spews smoke and ash. Indonesia's most active volcano claimed at least 36 lives the week before. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Villagers escorted by police carry a suspected looter caught in an abandoned village on Nov. 1 near Mount Merapi. (Arya Bima / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation This cemetery in Kinah Rejo is seen covered with ash on Oct. 28. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Police officers and volunteers carry the coffin of a victim of the Mount Merapi eruption during a mass burial in Sleman on Oct. 28. (Beawiharta / Reuters) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volunteers search for victims of the Mount Merapi eruption at Kinahrejo village on Oct. 27. (Ulet Ifansasti / Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Advertise Indonesian women weep after learning that their relatives were killed in the Mount Merapi eruption on Oct. 27.

(Irwin Fedriansyah / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Volcanic ash covers the interior of a house in a village badly hit by the Mount Merapi eruption on Oct. 27. (Gembong Nusantara / AP) Share Back to slideshow navigation Residents displaced by the eruption of Mount Merapi queue for food in Sleman on Oct. 27. (Adek Berry / AFP - Getty Images) Share Back to slideshow navigation Thousands saved by accurate eruption forecasts of Mount Merapi, Indonesia A weekly feature provided by scientists at the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory. Thousands saved by accurate eruption forecasts of Mount Merapi, Indonesia House in the village of Kopeng, 6 km (3.7 miles) from summit of Mount Merapi, destroyed by the explosive eruption. Mount Merapi volcano in central Java, Indonesia, began erupting explosively on October 26, followed by extrusion of lava in the summit crater, and culminating in stronger explosions during the night of November 4-5. The volcano continued to erupt lava and generate moderate, but declining, explosive activity through the end of November.

Three months later, tens of thousands of people are still struggling to deal with the losses caused by the eruption and lahars (Indonesian word for debris and mud flows) that continue to sweep down river valleys during heavy rain. For example, in early January, lahars forced about 9,000 people to flee from their homes. The October-November eruption was the largest since 1872. The 2010 activity killed 341 people, destroyed more than 2,000 homes, forced evacuation of nearly 350,000 people, and closed airports and cancelled hundreds of international flights to and from Indonesia. Financial losses are estimated at US$781 million. Loss of life, however, would have been staggering if not for accurate warnings issued by scientists of Indonesia's Center of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation. Equally important were the massive evacuations and the more than 700 evacuation centers organized and supported by Indonesia's civil authorities and others. Their actions easily saved more than 10,000 people from certain death, possibly more than 20,000.

Mount Merapi is well known for its small- to moderate-sized eruptions every few years—lava dome extrusion in the summit crater and dome collapse down the volcano's steep flanks that form extremely hot, fast-moving pyroclastic flows. Such flows commonly reach less than 8-10 km (5-6 miles) from the summit. Scientists familiar with Merapi's eruptive history of the past few hundred to few thousand years also know that much larger explosive eruptions occur, but less frequently. Fueled by a more gas-rich magma rising from a deeper source area beneath the volcano, such explosive eruptions generate larger pyroclastic flows that easily reach 15 km (9 miles) and, occasionally, more than 20 km (12 miles) from the summit. The longest pyroclastic flow from the recent eruption traveled 15 km (9 miles). The difference between a small-to-moderate and a large eruption can mean the difference between life and death for tens of thousands of people living on the flanks of Merapi.

Each time the volcano shows signs of an impending eruption, scientists and civil authorities face a critical challenge-deciphering which type is most likely to occur and determining the size of areas to be evacuated in order to get people out of reach from pyroclastic flows. The challenge is especially acute because there is not yet a sure method to forecast when a "typical" larger explosive eruption is more likely to occur than a "typical" small one. Fortunately, Indonesian scientists long familiar with the volcano monitoring data of Merapi correctly interpreted the precursory signs. The overall higher energy released by earthquakes and tremor, the more rapid deformation of the summit area of the volcano before October 25, the much higher rates of lava extrusion during the first week of eruption, and the larger release of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide gas, all pointed to the likelihood that a more gas-rich magma was moving quickly to the surface during the early part of the eruption. The beginning of the eruption was forecast by scientists and they raised the alert to the highest level ("Awas" or "beware") at 18:00 on 25 October (Merapi time).

The warning indicated imminent eruption and called for evacuation of about 40,000 people within 10 km of the summit. The eruption began 23 hours later on 26 October at 17:02. The evacuation area was extended to 15 km (9 miles) on November 3 and to 20 km (12 miles) early on the morning of November 5, forcing tens of thousands more to move immediately out of harm's way. Tragically 341 people were killed and many more injured during the eruption, but tens of thousands were saved by the timely and effective response of Indonesia's volcano scientists. This will surely stand as one of the most significant successes in modern volcano hazards and risk mitigation. Their recognition that a larger-than-usual explosive eruption was likely, based on escalating monitoring signals prevented a catastrophe. Best wishes for happy and safe 2011 from the staff of the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory! Kīlauea Activity Update Over the past week, lava flows have been active on the pali and coastal plain in two distinct lobes west of Kalapana.

The easternmost of the active flow lobes continues to advance slowly to the south and southeast near the end of Highway 130, with one portion creating a small ocean entry. The western lobe remains active, as well, and is also feeding a small ocean entry. At Kīlauea's summit, the circulating lava lake in the collapse pit deep within the floor of Halema`uma`u Crater has been visible via Webcam throughout the past week. Volcanic gas emissions remain elevated, resulting in high concentrations of sulfur dioxide downwind. No earthquakes beneath the Hawaiian Islands were reported this past week. Visit our Web site ( ) for detailed Kīlauea and Mauna Loa activity updates, recent volcano photos, recent earthquakes, and more; call (808) 967-8862 for a Kīlauea activity summary; email questions to askHVO@usgs.gov .

The URL of this page is November 2010 Volcano News | John Seach November 2010 Volcano News | John Seach Reports by John Seach Saturday 27th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Eruptions continue at Merapi volcano, Indonesia, with reduced intensity. The volcano is often covered in cloud, and visual observations are intermittent. Evacuees have been allowed back to some areas, but exclusion zones remain in place. The volcano remains at the highest alert level 4. Saturday 27th November 2010 Bromo Volcano, Indonesia An eruption of ash occurred at Bromo volcano, Indonesia on Friday 26th November. Ash reached 500 m above the crater. Bromo volcano has been closed to visitors since 23rd November due to high levels of seismic activity. Saturday 27th November 2010 Kizimen Volcano, Kamchatka Several new fumaroles were formed at Kizimen volcano, Kamchatka in middle of November 2010. During the last week, seismic activity was above background levels.

A helicopter flight around the volcano on 20th November showed several new fumaroles at summit and south-western flank of the volcano. Activity of an old fumarole "Revuschaya" (which is known since 1960) at the north-eastern volcanic flank decreased. A small amount of ash was visible on south-western flank of the volcano. On 17th November an ash plume rose to an altitude of 3 km. Kizimen volcano is at level YELLOW alert. Thursday 25th November 2010 Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii Kilauea volcano, Hawaii continues to erupt lava from two locations. On the east rift zone, lava is erupting from TEB vent 1 km NE of Pu'u O'o crater, and flows through tubes to the ocean at Puhi-o-Kalaikini entry southwest of Kalapana Gardens. Since Saturday lava flows have advanced eastwards and have reached highway 130 at an area that was crossed by lava flows earlier in the year. At the summit, a lava pond is located in a vent of Halemaumau crater.

Tuesday 23rd November 2010 Bromo Volcano, Indonesia Seismic activity has increased at Bromo volcano in Indonesia. Between 1-7 November two shallow volcanic earthquakes were detected. This increased to 540 between 8-14 November, and 354 between 15-21 November. Continuous tremor was recorded at the volcano on 22-23 November. Today the volcano emitted a thick grey plume of moderate pressure to a height of 300 m above the crater rim. Bromo volcano attracts many tourists and there is the risk of sudden phreatic explosion. Bromo caldera has been closed to tourism. Bromo volcano has been raised to highest level 4 alert on 23rd November. Monday 22nd November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia The death toll from the eruption of Merapi volcano, indonesia has reached 304. During periods of clear weather emissions can be seen rising 800 m above the summit of the volcano. The threat of eruption remains. Merapi is at the highest level 4 alert.

Monday 22nd November 2010 Bulusan Volcano, Philippines Ash emissions continue at Bulusan volcano, Philippines. At 7:22 am yesterday, an explosion ejected ash to a height of 2 km. Bulusan volcano is at alert level 1. A 4 km permanent danger zone is in place around the volcano. Saturday 20th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Flights have resumed to Yogyakarta airport, Indonesia after being closed to two weeks due to the eruption of Merapi volcano. Tiltmeter data shows deflation of the volcano in southeast side. Emissions from merapi reached a height of 350 m above the summit and drifted west to southwest. Commencing on 19th November the revised danger zones have been reduced to 5-15 km from the summit. Merapi remains at the highest level 4 alert. Saturday 20th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Merapi volcano continues to erupt with reduced intensity. Deformation monitoring does not show significant swelling of the volcano. On 19th November, Merapi was covered in cloud and light rain was recorded.

During previous days the volcano was visible through haze and showed a plume rising 600 m above the summit. Merapi remains at the highest level 4 alert. Friday 19th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Eruptions continue at Merapi volcano, Indonesia with reduced intensity. Visual observations show white-grey emissions rising 1500 m above the summit. A total of 275 people have been killed in the eruption. A 20 km exclusion zone is in place around the volcano. Merapi remains at the highest level 4 alert. A threat of pyroclastic flows and lahars exists at the volcano. Wednesday 17th November 2010 Krakatau Volcano, Indonesia Eruptions continue at Krakatau volcano, Indonesia. Explosions have been heard by people on the west coast of Java. Some residents at Anyer were concerned after they heard three explosions from Krakatau on Sunday. The number of explosion earthquakes increased to 933 on Friday. People are advised to stay more than 3 km from the volcano. Sea transportation has not been affected. Despite the explosions, the status of Krakatau remains at Waspada (Level 2).

Saturday 13th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia On Friday ash emissions at Merapi volcano, Indonesia reached 1000 m above the summit. Moderate intensity roaring sounds were heard coming from the volcano. Small amount of ashfall was reported at Medari and Seyegan Kab. Sleman. Two pyroclastic flows were recorded. The first occurred at 12:54 with a duration of 3 minutes and a runout distance of 4 km towards K. Gendol and K. Talang. The second pyroclastic flow occurred at 17:38. Lahars down K. Boyong have reached villages 16 km from the summit Merapi. Satellite images show an ash plume extending 150 nautical miles SW of Merapi to a height of 25,000 ft. Friday 12th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Between midnight and 6 am today, eruptions continued at Merapi volcano, Indonesia. White to brown emissions rose 800 m above the summit. Activity remains high at the volcano.

Hazards include pyroclastic flows, lava avalanches, ashfall, and lahars. Flight to Adisucipto International airport, Yogyakarta may still be affected by ash. Areas within 20 km of the volcano are still dangerous, especially near the rivers where pyroclastic flows and lahars may occur. These include K. Woro, K. Gendol, K. Kuning, K. Boyong, K. Bedog, K. Krasak, K. Bebeng, K. Sat, K. Lamat, K. Senowo, K. Trising, and K. Apu. Some flights between Australia and Indonesia were cancelled yesterday because of ash emissions. Friday 12th November 2010 Bulusan Volcano, Philippines An ash explosion occurred at Bulusan volcano, Philippines today at 6:59 am. A plume rose to a height of 700 m above the summit and drifted southwest. The seismic network detected a total of four volcanic earthquakes during the past 24 hours, The volcano is at alert level 1. A 4 km radius danger zone is in place.

Thursday 11th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Eruptions continue at Merapi volcano, Indonesia. Reduced activity occurred today up to 6am. Thundering sounds were heard from the volcano and light ashfall was reported. Ash emissions rose 700 m above the summit. Pyroclastic flows descended K. Gendol to a distance of 3 km. Ash deposits are located in all valleys on Southeast, South, Southwest, West and North West sectors of the volcano. A 20 km radius exclusion zone remains in place. Hazards at the volcano include pyroclastic flows, ashfall, and lahars. Since Merapi began erupting at the end of October, 194 people have been killed and 370,000 evacuated. Merapi is at the highest level 4 alert. Thursday 11th November 2010 Bulusan Volcano, Philippines A total of 17 volcanic earthquakes were detected at Bulusan volcano, Philippines during the past 24 hours. Yesterday the sulphur dioxide emission rate was average at 135 tonnes per day.

Visual observations showed white steam rising 150 m above the crater and drifting ENE. Alert Level 1 remains at Bulusan Volcano. Areas within 4 km of the summit has been declared a Permanent Danger Zone which means that the public is advised not to venture inside this area. Residents are warned about the hazard of lahars. Due to the prevailing wind direction, residents located in the NW and SW sectors of the volcano are advised to take precautions against ashfalls. Ash emissions pose a hazard to aircraft. Wednesday 10th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Activity at Merapi volcano, Indonesia remains high. Ash emissions reached a height of 800 m above the crater this morning. Ash deposits fill all river valleys surrounding the volcano. A 20 km radius exclusion zone remains in place. Between midnight and midday today there were 4 volcanic earthquakes and one pyroclastic flow. Adisucipto International Airport in Yogyakarta is expected to reopen for domestic flights on 15th November if ash emissions reduce. Flights to and from Adisucipto have been diverted to Adisumarmo International Airport in Solo and Ahmad Yani Airport in Semarang.

The status of Merapi volcano remains at the highest level 4. Tuesday 9th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Reduced eruptions occurred at Merapi volcano this morning between midnight and 6 am with only one pyroclastic flow. Rumbling noises were heard coming from the volcano at 2:08 pm on Monday. At 5pm a column of ash reached a height of 1500 m above the crater. Incandescence was seen from the lava dome and the sound of lava avalanches could be heard. Ash deposits in river channels are creating a lahar hazard. A magnitude 5.4 earthquake occurred 122 km south of Merapi volcano on Tuesday at 2:03 pm. The earthquake had a focus at a depth of 75 km. The status of Merapi volcano remains at the highest level 4. Monday 8th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Merapi volcano, Indonesia remains at the highest RED level alert. Over the past day pyroclastic flows extended 4 km from the crater. Ash emissions rose to a height of 4 km today.

Some residents have ignored warnings to stay out of the danger areas, and have returned to their land to feed animals. Eruptions have been high intensity, and have been occurring continually since 3rd November. This is the largest eruption of Merapi volcano in over 100 years. The death toll is 141, and 300,000 people have been evacuated. The safe area for evacuees continues to be a radius of 20 km from the crater. International flights to Jakarta returned to normal today. The sulphur dioxide cloud from eruption of Merapi volcano has reached the coast of western Australia. The SO2 cloud has reached an altitude of 50,000 ft over the Indian Ocean. Sunday 7th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia Several airlines have temporarily suspended flights between Singapore and Jakarta because of volcanic ash from Merapi volcano. Among those affected were Singapore Airlines, Japan Airlines, Malaysia Airlines, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific. Domestic flights have been unaffected. The eruption of Merapi caused an additional 85 deaths, bringing the total to over 130.

Scores of people have been burnt by hot ash and gas from pyroclastic flows. Merapi volcano is currently undergoing an explosive eruptive phase. During the past 100 years eruptions at the volcano we mainly caused by lava dome collapses. Eruptions of Merapi volcano during the 7–19th centuries A.D were more explosive and similar to the current events. Saturday 6th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia High intensity eruptions continue at Merapi volcano, Indonesia. Heavy ashfall is occurring on the slopes of the volcano. Thick deposits of ash combined with rainfall is creating a lahar hazard. The danger zone has been increased to a radius of 20 km from the volcano, on the edge of the city of Yogyakarta. Roaring noises can be heard from a distance of 20 km. Pyroclastic flows claimed more lives on Friday, bringing the total to 118. Soldiers pulled at least 78 bodies from homes and streets blanketed by ash up to a 30 cm deep. Bodies were found in front of houses and in streets, and it appeared that many of the villagers died from the burning gas while trying to escape.

Some hospitals are being overwhelmed with injured people. Nearly 200,000 people living on the mountain have been evacuated to emergency shelters. In the latest eruptions the worst hit village was Bronggang 15 kilometers from the crater. Ashfall has been reported hundreds of kilometres from the volcano. Malaysian Airlines rerouted a flight that was supposed to land in the city of Bandung 380 kilometers west of Merapi. This eruption has released 50 million cubic meters of volcanic material, making it the biggest in at least a century at the volcano. Plumes of ash continued to rise to altitudes over 30,000 feet. The Indonesian government announced an $11 million (US) program to buy the cows on the mountain to keep farmers off its slopes, and to provide compensation for animals lost in the eruptions. Saturday 6th November 2010 Possible Eruption in Nigeria? A possible eruption has occurred in Nigeria in an area with no recent eruptions. The area is part of the Benue trough, adjacent to the Cameroon line of volcanoes. The reports need to be confirmed, and may not have actually happened.

Several years ago a similar story surfaced of an eruption on mainland India, which turned out to be false. The following report comes from an African news source: "A volcanic eruption has occurred at the mountainous Mkomon district of Kwande Local government of Benue State with one person feared dead while properties worth millions of Naira have also been destroyed. Residents of the affected community have deserted their homes in search of safer place. Sources of portable water have been polluted by the heavy magma emitted from the eruption. Vanguard gathered from eye witnesses that there were heavy vibrations around the mountains at the border with Cameroun Republic, followed by eruptions at six points on the mountainous terrain. The vibrations spewed magma which covered streams and hand dug wells and the entire community leaving the people without portable water. At the moment, there is panic amongst the people who are said to be cut off completely from the rest of the world as a result of the occurrence and damages to roads and bridges which was occasioned by the heavy vibration." Saturday 6th November 2010 Bulusan Volcano, Philippines Bulusan Volcano ejected an ash column today that reached a height of 600 meters above the crater. The eruption lasted for 57 seconds.

Four volcanic earthquakes were recorded before the eruption. Areas 6-10 km NW of the crater received ashfall. PHIVOLCS raised the Alert Level status of Bulusan Volcano from Alert level 0 to Alert Level I (abnormal). The current activity may indicate hydrothermal disturbance under the volcano which may lead to more steam and ash eruptions. The public is prohibited from entering the 4-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone. People residing near the valleys and streams should beware of of lahars. Friday 5th November 2010 Merapi Volcano, Indonesia The eruption of Merapi is the largest at the volcano in 100 years. Three large eruptions early Friday have brought the death toll to 107. Explosive eruptions have sent pyroclastic flows 18 km down the slopes, killing people in their houses. Magma is rising under the volcano and larger eruptions are possible. Thursday’s eruptions were accompanied by thundering sounds that were heard 25 km away. A total of 85,000 people have been evacuated (25,000 in Yogyakarta and 60,000 in central Java).

A 15 km exclusion zone is in place. Merapi remains at the highest level RED alert.

Question: Which Indonesian volcano erupted in October / November 2010, forcing 70,000 people from their homes?
Answer: Mount Merapi