Hurricanes, Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Disasters

[~ Susan ~]

Hey Dan

Unfortunately, it seems that pretty much all the evacuees have returned to their homes again to tend to their livestock. These are probably the same people who experienced the last eruption. You would think they wouldn't want to be around for this one. But maybe they're not convinced yet that an eruption is forth coming and they're willing to take the risk of staying on at their farms. There is a pretty strong consensous that Merapi is going to erupt though.




Natural disasters rock Indonesia
5.37PM, Tue May 16 2006

Lava has begun streaming down the side of Indonesia's mystical Mount Merapi.

And meanwhile, a strong earthquake has struck off the west coast of Indonesia's Sumatra island.

The US Geological Survey said there was little or no risk of a major tsunami.

Around the base of Mount Merapi, considered sacred by some Indonesians, thousands of residents went about their daily lives despite warnings that a major eruption could come at any time.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has urged officials to be persistent in their efforts to move people away from the danger zone and warned residents not to assume their villages are safe.

Vulcanologists said Merapi is in its final eruption phase and feared the possible collapse of a swelling lava dome could trigger more massive and dangerous clouds and sprays of lava.

During its last eruption in 1994, most of the 70 deaths were caused by the outpouring of hot ash and other material following the collapse of a lava dome.

When, or if, this might happen again is uncertain, said Triyani, an official at the Centre of Vulcanological Research and Technology Development in Yogyakarta near Mount Merapi.

"We cannot predict, because this mountain is unique," she said of the nearly 10,000 feet conical-shaped volcano in the centre of Java island.

Merapi, about 280 miles east of Jakarta, is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, which sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

Some villagers consider the volcano sacred. Yudhoyono said while the government respected the beliefs of people in the area, it also had the responsibility of saving lives.