The Merapi volcano erupts, seen from Pakem, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Hendra Nurdiyansyah/via REUTERS

He Merapi Volcanolocated in the central region of the Indonesian island of Javaexpelled this Saturday glowing lava river about a mile and a half, and clouds of smoke and ashwhich caused the alert of the local authorities, without it being necessary to evacuate the population for the moment.

“A lava eruption has been observed that reaches a distance of 1,500 meters to the southwest,” the Geological Disaster Research and Development Center (BPPTKG, for its acronym in Indonesia) said in a statement released today. today.

The Merapi volcano, seen from Turi, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Hendra Nurdiyansyah/via REUTERS
The Merapi volcano, seen from Turi, in Sleman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Hendra Nurdiyansyah/via REUTERS

It warns the population of neighboring towns to avoid activities in dangerous areas, within a radius between 3 and 7 kilometers from the volcano’s crater, although it has not yet been deemed necessary to evacuate the population.

“An explosive eruption could reach a distance of 3 kilometers from the crater,” he adds.

Yuliantoa local checkpoint official said no residents had been evacuated.

A man protects himself from the ash from the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Mount Merapi, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS
A man protects himself from the ash from the eruption of the Indonesian volcano Mount Merapi, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS

“It was observed only once, there were 5-6 avalanches. If the cover continues to increase and the distance is more than 7 kilometers, it is likely that the evacuation of the inhabitants will be recommended “, did he declare.

The Merapi, from 2,968 meters above sea levelis located on the border between Yogyakarta Special Region and Central Java Province, and is the the most active volcano in the Asian country and one of the most erupted in the worldand was at the second level of maximum alert.

Cars drive on an ash-covered road following the eruption of Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS
Cars drive on an ash-covered road following the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS
An ash-covered road following the eruption of Indonesia's Mount Merapi volcano, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS
An ash-covered road following the eruption of Indonesia’s Mount Merapi volcano, in Magelang, Central Java province, Indonesia, March 11, 2023. Antara Photo/Anis Efizudin/via REUTERS

Its last major eruption, which occurred in 2010, caused the death of 347 people and forced the evacuation of nearly 400,000 people, including 3,000 families who had to be permanently rehoused.

In November 2020, after posting a resumption of activity, the authorities raised the alert level of the Merapi volcano to the second highest.

The Indonesian archipelago lies in the so-called “Ring of Fire” of the Pacific, an area of ​​great seismic and volcanic activity which is shaken by thousands of tremors per year, the majority of low magnitude, and in which we find 127 active volcanoes.

(With information from EFE, AFP and Reuters)

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