The Indonesian Disaster Management Agency announced in a statement that Merapi Volcano erupted today, Saturday, releasing a hot cloud that reached a height of up to seven kilometers. Local authorities reported that the volcano, located in the special region of Yogyakarta, erupted around 12:00 PM local time (05:00 GMT) and lava flow was observed extending 1.5 kilometers. According to the statement, residents in the area near the volcano were warned to cease any activities in danger zones that have a radius of three to seven kilometers around the volcano's crater. Social media circulated images of a massive cloud rising into the sky at the moment of the eruption.
Merapi, which stands at 2,963 meters, is one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia and was already classified at the second highest alert level in the country. A local monitoring official stated that no residents had been evacuated. He added, "This happened only once when five to six landslides occurred. If lava flows continue to increase and extend more than seven kilometers, it is likely that residents will be recommended to evacuate."
Indonesia is located in a seismically active region known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, and thus has more volcanoes than any other country. The last major eruption of Merapi occurred in 2010, resulting in the deaths of over 350 people.
