Villagers put on alert for possible Merapi eruption
SURAKARTA, Central Java (Antara): Villagers living near Merapi volcano in Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces have been warned of a possible eruption, following an increase in volcanic activity.
Residents of Tlogolele village, the highest human settlement on the mountain, have been told to prepare for possible evacuation, Antara news agency reported Thursday.
Yulianto, an official who monitors the geological activity of the mountain, said there had been several earthquakes since Wednesday and residents had been told to increase their level of alertness.
He did not provide details on the frequency or the strength of the quakes.
He said a team from the Yogyakarta Volcanic Agency had been dispatched to the upper area of the mountain, in Jrakah village, Boyolali regency, Central Java, to monitor the volcanic activity.
The head of Tlogolele village, Budi Harsono, said he had ordered all officials in the village to remain alert.
“All village officials and public figures have been told to prepare for any possibility, including evacuation,” Budi was quoted by Antara as saying, adding that a number of evacuation drills had been carried out.
He said school buildings would be used to accommodate villagers if an eruption did occur.
The volcano is about 32 kilometers north of Yogyakarta and somewhat farther south of Semarang. Merapi rises to 2,911 meters and has steep slopes with dense vegetation on its lower flanks. It is the most active of Indonesia’s 130 active volcanoes.