Indonesia's most active volcano Mount Merapi emits hot clouds

Geological Disaster Technology Research and Development Centre released an official statement stating that Mount Merapi has emitted hot clouds seven times as far as 1,500 meters to the southwest and southeast. Mt. Merapi is the most active volcano in Indonesia. The volcano is located between Yogyakarta and Central Java provinces.

Xinhua News Agency reported that the central government has declared the current situation as a third level of danger. They fear that the 2,968 meter-high mountain could unleash lava avalanches. Any form of explosion coming from the mountain could have a radius of up to three kilometers.

According to official sources, the emissions were as follows- The first, second and third hot clouds rolled down 1,000 meters after 5 a.m. on Thursday to the southwest for 100 seconds with a maximum amplitude of 35 mm. The fourth hot cloud flowed down 1,200 m at 6.15 a.m. for 110 seconds with an amplitude of 60 mm and the fifth one glided down 1,500 m at 9.38 a.m. for 127 seconds with an amplitude of 45 mm, all to the southeast. Similarly, the sixth and seventh hot clouds slid down 1,100 m to the southeast, at 9.55 a.m. for 95 seconds with an amplitude of 40 mm and at 6.54 p.m. local time for 85 seconds with an amplitude maximum of 36 mm.

Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management tweeted:

Previous incidents of Mt. Merapi:

Mount Merapi has a history of destructive volcanic eruptions and the most devastating eruption was in 2010 when the ruthless mountain took the lives of 353 people from the Java region. This eruption was caused because the Indo-Australian Plate was subducted under the Eurasian Plate. This volcano is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, which lies in a subduction zone. The last time Mt. Merapi erupted was on January 27 when the mountain released a river of lava below and clouds made of gas onto the sky.