Indonesia's Mount Merapi, a formidable volcano located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, witnessed another eruption on a recent Sunday. The 2,891-meter high mountain spewed ash and massive clouds of smoke into the sky.
Local search and rescue teams, led by Abdul Malik, have been implementing evacuations in the vicinity. Simultaneously, a rescue team of 40 brave individuals is working tirelessly to evacuate the volcano, as the eruption continues. Malik reported the death of eleven climbers and the disappearance of twelve others under unclear circumstances.
Latest updates suggest that 75 individuals, including climbers, have been evacuated, with the injured being transported to hospitals.
Nearby vehicles, streets, and entire villages were covered in ash. Authorities, monitoring the movements of Mount Merapi, shared with CNN Indonesia that the Sunday eruption could potentially introduce threats, such as the possibility of flowing lava reaching roads and nearby rivers, as occurred during the January and February 2021 eruptions. In 2010, a powerful eruption took the lives of over 350 people.
Following the latest eruption, local authorities have issued the second-highest alert level and prohibited all activities within a 2-mile radius of the Merapi crater. Officials from Indonesia's National Disaster Management Bureau (BNPB) distributed masks to the local populace and encouraged them to remain indoors. Hiking trails and other recreational areas were also closed off.
Mount Merapi is situated 27 km north of the city of Yogyakarta, housing the world's largest Buddhist temple and Indonesia's most popular tourist destination, Borobudur. The region is popular among both tourists and religious pilgrims.
Indonesia, nestled on the Pacific Ring of Fire, boasts more than 127 active volcanoes. Among these, Mount Merapi, currently in a state of high activity, is a testament to the country's unique geographical characteristics. In the community of West-Sumatra, teams are actively monitoring the Mount Merapi eruption while mourning the loss of 11 lives and the disappearance of 12 climbers.
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The current safety measures and updates regarding the Mount Merapi volcano eruption in Indonesia include:
- Alert Level: The alert level for Mount Merapi is at 3, signifying ongoing high levels of activity and a continued need for caution.
- Seismic Activity: Seismicity around Merapi has remained high, resulting in frequent lava avalanches and pyroclastic flows. The SW lava dome has displayed multiple lava avalanches, with the most recent reports indicating 88 avalanches traveling up to 2 km down the Bebeng drainage between January 31 and February 6, 2025.
- Public Warning: The general public is advised to maintain a distance of 3-7 km from the summit of Mount Merapi due to the ongoing eruption and potential dangers such as pyroclastic flows and lahars.
- Recent Activity: The eruption has resulted in significant morphological transformations within the SW lava dome, including effusion and collapses of material. The volume of the SW dome is estimated to be around 3,315,900 cubic meters, based on recent aerial photographs and webcam images.
- Monitoring: The Balai Penyelidikan dan Pengembangan Teknologi Kebencanaan Geologi (BPPTKG) and the Pusat Vulkanologi dan Mitigasi Bencana Geologi (PVMBG) are closely monitoring the volcano's activity, providing regular updates on seismicity, lava flow, and other relevant data.
Unfortunately, specific information regarding 11 climbers being killed and 12 missing during this event is not readily available in the sources provided. It is crucial to reiterate the inherent dangers associated with climbing near an active volcano like Merapi, and the necessity of abiding by safety guidelines and warnings issued by local authorities.
